Getty Deon Bush #26 of the Chicago Bears has made the teams roster.
Chicago Bears safety Deon Bush made an excellent diving play for the ball that looked like an interception early in the second quarter of the Bears’ third preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts. Bush then ran the ball back 91 yards a dynamic defensive score. The play was reviewed and wasn’t ruled an interception–it was ruled a fumble recovery and a 91-yard return for a touchdown.
Deon Bush with the strip and the house call! 😳 @ChicagoBears @deonbushlive2
Bush is Having a Standout Preseason
GettyChicago Bears Safety Deon Bush. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Bush’s pick six was the Bears’ third red zone takeaway this preseason. The play was a thing of beauty–he took the ball out of Indianapolis tight end Hale Hentges’ hands, wrestling it away before running the length of the field for the score, and the team’s first defensive touchdown of the preseason. Officials initially thought Bush may have been down by contact, but after the play was reviewed, the touchdown stood.
Bush had several good tackles and quick reads during the Colts’ first offensive series, but he gave Bears fans a scare when he jogged off the field later in the game after being flagged for lowering his helmet during a hit on Zach Pascal. Bush appeared to be jarred a bit as he ran off, and he disappeared in the medical tent shortly after:
Deon Bush quickly jogged off the field after flagged that hit and is now in the blue injury tent.
Fortunately, Bush returned to the game and abstained from injury, and his defensive score came shortly after he re-entered the game. Bush got an opportunity to showcase his skills earlier this preseason, when Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was sidelined briefly with injury, and he has made the most of his opportunities.
Bush is Playing For the Future
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JANUARY 06: Deon Bush #26 of the Chicago Bears walks off of the field after their 15 to 16 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Soldier Field on January 06, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Bush is having a standout preseason so far, and is a lock to make the team’s 53-man roster, with some noting that he may be playing for a starting spot somewhere else and a fatter contract next year:
Bears fans hope he stays in Chicago, as he provides excellent depth at the safety position, and has been a consistent presence on defense over the past three seasons, but time will tell. Bush played in 15 games last season, where he was a definite difference maker, forcing a fumble and picking up a sack. The Bears’ first priority after the 2019 season will likely be to resign All Pro safety Eddie Jackson, and Bush will likely garner the interest of other teams, particularly if he continues this type of game-changing play.
The Bears have managed to maintain a great deal of continuity on both sides of the ball this season, and while they’re enjoying having Bush be a difference maker coming off the bench, they cannot count on his services beyond this year.
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