Four takeaways from Canton

Bears don’t have a QB controversy but do they have a legit No. 2 behind Mitch Trubisky?
 
The standard line of this offseason has been that the Bears had upgraded their quarterback position with the addition of career backup Chase Daniel, not just because of his play, but because of his mentoring role in the development of Mitch Trubisky.
 
Maybe. Maybe not. The Bears need more, much, much more, out of their No. 2 quarterback than simply someone who understands the Matt Nagy offense. They need someone who can RUN it, and Daniel showed no sign of meeting that need on Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens, to the point of suggesting a “need” area on the depth chart at the most critical position on the roster.
 
Playing with backups against backups, Daniel completed eight of 16 passes for 53 yards, one TD and two interceptions, one off the helmet of guard Jordan Morgan, and a passer rating of 38.8. (Probably an unfair comparison here, but Trubisky last preseason opener, playing with backups against backups, completed 18 of 25 for 166 yards, a TD and a 103.1 rating.)
 
“We had a freak one that hit off someone’s helmet,” Daniel said. “We had another one that came on a miscommunication with me and the tight end. I was just glad to go back out there, especially after the first interception, and get a score the very next drive.”
 
Trubisky has a coaching depth chart of Nagy, coordinator Mark Helfrich and quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone. Behind Trubisky on the quarterback depth chart is….(crickets).
 
The Bears spent $2 million for Mark Sanchez in the 2017 offseason, a backup who could not play but was touted as a positive presence for young quarterbacks like Dak Prescott in Dallas and Trubisky. They guaranteed $5 million this year for Daniel, who has started just two games in a career entering its 10th season. A lot of money for not much, if Daniel cannot deliver more than he has shown through camp and Thursday night.
 
 
Impact rookie pass rusher
 
Rookie Kylie Fitts got the start at left outside linebacker and had a very “rookie” NFL coming-out – perhaps not surprising against Robert Griffin III, one of the more dangerous mobile quarterbacks before his knee issues, and massive rookie right tackle Orlando Brown.
 
Fitts, the Bears’ sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft and a hoped-for impact addition to the pass rush, lost contain on Robert Griffin III to allow the Baltimore quarterback outside from where he completed a 23-yard catch-and-run to running back Gus Edwards.
 
Fitts was able to get a pressure on Griffin later in the first quarter and delivered a solid bull rush of Baltimore right tackle Orlando Brown to be in on a sack of Griffin. Fitts closed down on a read-option and was burned by a Griffin keeper but was a factor on multiple snaps, not always the case with rookie.
 
“He’s a crazy fast runner,” said defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, among the veterans who sat out Thursday. “He gets off the ball so quick and so aggressive. He hustles and he has a great motor.”
 
 
O-lining TBD
 
The offensive line that opened in front of quarterback Chase Daniel featured only one member of the No. 1 O-line to this point, and he was in a position other than where he’s been all through training camp, a possible indicator of Bears roster-thinking.
 
Eric Kush, who played center at Kansas City while Matt Nagy was Chiefs quarterbacks coach, and has been working daily at left guard with the 1’s but started at center Thursday. Earl Watford, who has been the swing guard with Kush and Kyle Long, started at guard.
 
The unknown is rookie James Daniels, drafted ostensibly as a guard but who has worked at both guard and center in camp. Daniels, an All-American center at Iowa, missed practices this week with an arm injury and has struggled at times with shotgun snaps.
 
 
A HOF migh’ve-been
 
These coulda-woulda-shoulda’s are easy, but watching and listening to Randy Moss recalls then-Chicago Tribune colleague Skip Bayless fuming, sputtering and frothing ahead of the 1998 draft that there was only one player the Bears should draft – Randy Moss.
 
That draft unfolded early exactly as expected, with Peyton Manning going to Indianapolis, Ryan Leaf to San Diego, Andre Wadsworth to Arizona and Charles Woodson to the Raiders. The Bears were on the clock at No. 5 and their phone was ringing. The callers were the New England Patriots, holding picks 18 and 22 in the first round, and the Jacksonville Jaguars, with Nos. 9 and 25, both of whom were intent on drafting a running back. 
 
First-year personnel chief Mark Hatley was amenable to a deal but the Patriots were too far down at No. 18. Hatley was interested in the Jaguars’ No. 9 but was so put off by the verbal bullying of Jacksonville Tom Coughlin that he slammed the phone down and declared the Bears, not the Jaguars or Patriots, were taking Enis.
 
Jacksonville “settled” for Fred Taylor, who finished with 11,695 rushing yards, 14th all-time when he retired, and New England chose Robert Edwards at No. 18. Edwards rushed for 1,115 yards as a rookie, then nearly lost his leg in a knee injury during a beach flag football game at the Pro Bowl.
 
Meanwhile, the wide receiver that Skip said would be the best non-QB in the draft is being inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend.