Summary & Highlights: Hard Knocks Episode 5

The final episode of Hard Knocks is now in the books, and so too is my HBO Max membership. As a Bears fan, I obviously found the entire series extremely entertaining, but it also seemed like the type of season that would appeal to any football fan, as Chicago has suddenly become one of the league’s most interesting teams. It’s hard not to be excited about the state of the franchise.

While the final episode of every Hard Knocks season is usually designated as the certified heartbreaker, this year’s finale was actually less depressing (besides Adrian Colbert’s cut scene) than last week’s episode, which focused heavily on Ian Wheeler’s ACL tear and Colbert’s near-death experience. Nevertheless, it still featured a few surprising and noteworthy moments and developments.

The Bears REALLY love Velus Jones’ versatility. One of the most surprising aspects of this week’s episode of Hard Knocks is that the Bears actually turned down a (supposedly unbelievable) trade offer for Velus Jones during the final cut-down period. Considering just how deep the Bears’ running back room is, and Ryan Poles’ affinity for wheeling and dealing, their lack of movement there is telling. Poles mentioned that it would take at least a fourth-round pick to move him, and that clearly indicates they value what he brings to the room.

The coaching staff also praised Jones for his willingness to accept the position change with open arms, as players often take that as a slight. It was initially seen as nothing more than a last-ditch effort to save his career, but it just might work out in his favor in a big way.

Jones is going to see the field. Potentially a lot. Khalil Herbert will still probably be the first man up if Swift were to go down, but Jones could carve out a real role on offense if he impresses when he gets a chance to do so.

Ryan Poles understands the human element of the NFL. This one should come as no surprise. After all, Poles was actually cut himself. However, players are clearly much more than a jersey number to him. He deeply cares about the players he brings into the building, which makes you wonder how unique that is across the league.

It’s safe to say that no General Manager enjoys telling players they didn’t make the team, but it seemed to affect Poles more than we’ve seen on Hard Knocks in years past. He and Ian Cunningham were talking about how difficult it was to cut players because of how good of people they were, and that is a major testament to how they built the roster (more on that below).

On a side note, isn’t it wild that the NFL was able to locate obscure Ryan Poles practice footage from the ’08 Bears training camp? Got it right off the scrap heap. Seriously, is there any piece of content that they don’t have access to?

They preferred to keep Brett Rypien over Austin Reed on the practice squad. Another interesting element from this week’s episode was how the Bears handled the backup QB situation, as they only kept two QBs and cut both Brett Rypien and undrafted rookie Austin Reed. Last week, I said that Chicago should keep Reed and allow him to get more development on the practice squad. They obviously disagreed, as they told Rypien he was their preferred choice to bring back in that manner.

In the end, they wound up bringing Reed back to the practice squad after Rypien got a call to join the Vikings’ 53-man roster. I still find it a bit surprising that he wasn’t their first choice considering how well he played against Kansas City, but that shows how much they valued Rypien’s experience and what he brought to the QB room. Nevertheless, good for both players for finding the situation that worked out best for them. Rypien could actually see some time on the field this year if Sam Darnold plays like… Sam Darnold.

The Bears have built a strong culture. DJ Moore, one of the league’s premier receivers, said he wants to finish his career in Chicago… and he’s only 27. Sure, the city itself is great and is a wonderful place to live, but that alone wouldn’t be enough to make such a bold proclamation (and back it up with a four-year contract extension) if he didn’t adamantly believe in the direction the team is heading, and the culture they have built.

Ryan Poles, Ian Cunningham, and Matt Eberflus each deserve their flowers for injecting said culture into the organization. I understand I might be jumping the gun by using that term, but the franchise is light-years ahead of where they were under their predecessors, and it’s only a matter of time before that becomes evident. I really believe the results will come.

The Bears are becoming a destination right before our eyes.

Source: Chisportsnation.com