Bears host several defensive linemen during bye week
Appleton Post Crescent - USA Today Sports

Bears host several defensive linemen during bye week


Dustin Riese Dustin Riese  ·  Senior Writer ·  

There is no question that the City of Chicago is riding high right now. From the Chicago Cubs winning their first playoff game in eight years to the Chicago Fire clinching a playoff berth for the first time in seven years, times are good in Chicago, which is a pleasant surprise when it comes to Windy City Sports.

Then you have the Chicago Bears, who are not only 2-2 and trending upward, but are coming off a massive win in Las Vegas and winning a way they never would've been able to do in seasons past. That is a credit to Ben Johnson and his attention to detail with this team as they continue to do the little things right.

As exciting a win as it was for the Bears last week, there is still plenty of room to grow, and the Bears are going to have some extra time fine-tuning their craft as they are entering their bye week. Early bye weeks are never ideal for any team, but the Bears may benefit from an early bye week more than most, as it will give them the time to get healthy, as several players remain injured.

Chicago is also taking some initiative to add players to their roster to help with their health, as they worked out five players on Tuesday, including four on the defensive front, to try to improve that area of the team. The most notable player to come into the workout was former Green Bay Packer Jonathan Garvin, who was a seventh-round pick by the Packers in 2020.

Garvin has bounced around the league, spending time with the Packers and 49ers while also seeing some time with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL. During his three-year run with Green Bay, Garvin saw action in 38 games, which are all of the games he has appeared in during his time in the NFL.

While he hasn't done much in those games, he still managed to come away with 32 tackles and 1.5 sacks in limited time, proving to be the perfect role player for that team. That would essentially be the role he would take on in Chicago, as they are just looking to add depth to their roster.

Speaking of guys up front, Defensive tackle Philip Blidi was also part of the workout squad, as he too is looking to make this roster as a depth piece. At 6-2 and 284 pounds, Blidi is a bit undersized when it comes to a defensive tackle, but he makes up for his lack of size with a near seven-foot wingspan.

Undrafted out of Auburn, Blidi landed a spot on the Patriots practice squad this summer, where he was later released heading into the season. Now looking for a second chance, the Bears may look at him as a long-term project and someone they could work with down the road.

For a team actively looking to improve in the trenches on both sides of the ball, Jayden Peevy could be a nice addition, as he also worked out for Chicago. The massive 6-5, 308-pounder, Peevy, is what you call a run stuffer in the middle and would help the Bears clog the middle to improve their rush defense.

Across his three seasons with the Titans, Peevy hasn't seen a ton of action and has found playing time in just six contests. However, it's what he has done in those six contests that stands out as he has registered 1.5 sacks in minimal snaps, which leads you to believe he has more in the tank with more snaps.

One of the more intriguing names on the workout side of things was 2022 seventh-round pick Isaiah Thomas, who is looking to find his footing with a new organization. The 6-5, 272-pound edge rusher is big for an edge rusher, but has all the tools to be an excellent rotational piece in the correct system.

Since being drafted, Thomas has seen minimal snaps, as is the case with most of these guys, as he has picked up 12 tackles across 12 games with one sack. All of those tackles came with the Detroit Lions, as he had previous experience working with Johnson, having to go against that offense every day in practice.

Chicago also brought in Guard Kyle Hergel for a workout as the team looks to improve in that area, also. Bye week or not, you can see plenty of moving parts as Chicago will have some extra time to fill out this roster ahead of their next game.

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Bears host several defensive linemen during bye week
Bears host several defensive linemen during bye week
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