Here are 4 Chicago Bears rookies with more to prove during final 4 games

The Bears have four games remaining in the 2022 season. In one month, the conversation will turn toward free agency and the draft.

These four remaining games are the last opportunity for players to leave a lasting impression on coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles.

Below are four rookies to keep a close eye on over the final four games. All rookies have more to prove, but some have had more opportunities than others. There is a pretty good sample size on safety Jaquan Brisker, cornerback Kyler Gordon and left tackle Braxton Jones. Those three have shown that they will likely be a part of the Bears’ plans moving forward.

But what about some of the other rookies?

1. Linebacker Jack Sanborn

Jack Sanborn is oh so close to adding his name to those mentioned above who have a solid body of work, but he maybe needs to show it for a couple more games before it’s a sure thing.

The undrafted rookie linebacker had an impressive preseason, but then spent half the season playing exclusively on special teams. When the Bears traded Roquan Smith, Sanborn stepped into a starting linebacker spot for the defense.

Since entering the lineup, Sanborn has recorded double-digit tackles in three of his five starts. He has two sacks and five tackles for loss. He recovered one fumble and had an interception that was wiped away because of a questionable penalty call.

Sanborn needs to keep showing more of the same and show that he can play well in pass coverage.

2. Wide receiver Velus Jones Jr.

There has been a lot of negativity around the Bears’ third-round draft pick so far this season. Velus Jones Jr. had two crippling fumbles on punt returns in October and found himself as a healthy scratch twice in November.

But with Darnell Mooney out for the season, Jones has an opportunity to show what he can do. He saw his largest snap share offensively last week vs. Green Bay. He was on the field for 23% of offensive plays. That’s a positive development for a player who saw that number drop to as low as 12% two weeks ago.

After returning four kicks Sunday, Jones has quietly pushed his average up to 26.9 yards per kick return on 11 returns. He doesn’t have enough returns to qualify for the league leaderboard, but that average – if he keeps it up – would be the best in the NFL.

Look for him to keep returning kicks and for offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to find more ways to involve him in the offense.

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3. Defensive end Dominique Robinson

Fifth-round draft pick Dominique Robinson started off hot, recording 1.5 sacks in his NFL debut. Since then, he hasn’t touched the quarterback.

Robinson was always going to be a project. That’s why it was such a surprise to see him pick up his first sack in Week 1. He showed up at Miami-Ohio as a quarterback and shifted to receiver before moving over to edge rusher. As a defensive end, he remains incredibly raw by NFL standards.

Robinson has started the past four games and will be involved throughout the remainder of the season. He needs to show that he can be a disruptor. He doesn’t necessarily even need more sacks, but he needs to show that he can get close to the quarterback.

4. Cornerback Jaylon Jones

Undrafted rookie Jaylon Jones has played in all 13 games this season for the Bears, including two starts at cornerback. He started last week against Green Bay with both Kyler Gordon and Kindle Vildor sidelined by injuries.

Jones has been a valuable addition both as a backup cornerback and on special teams. The 25-year-old Texas native signed with the Bears after going undrafted last spring out of Ole Miss.

Jones is not likely to supplant Gordon or Vildor on the depth chart, so his playing time on defense likely will dip when those two players are healthy. But he can prove himself to be a valuable piece for the Bears moving forward.