“Some critical battles will be played out in the 2026 NFL Training Camps. These battles will have a direct impact on your IDP rosters and draft position. Multiple teams will watch for key moments in camp and preseason games. This will be the key to setting their depth charts accordingly in all IDP positions.”
Check out these articles for other breakdowns of training camp battles!
2026 IDP Training Camp Battles to Watch for Fantasy Football – Cardinals Linebackers – IDP+
2026 IDP Training Camp Battles to Watch for Fantasy Football – Buffalo Bills Linebackers – IDP+
Our third key training camp battle – Starting LB for the Bears
D’Marco Jackson vs Devin Bush
Jackson is part of the IDP Training Camp Battles for the Bears
Jackson was a fifth-round pick by the New Orleans Saints back in 2022 out of Appalachian State. He played just seven defensive snaps as a rookie. Jackson followed that up with 66 defensive snaps in his second year with the Saints. He was then waived by the Saints in the final roster moves before the 2025 season. With that waiving, the Bears promptly claimed him, and he found a new home.
The 2025 season was a breath of fresh air for Jackson as he finally got meaningful defensive snaps. It took injuries to Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Noah Sewell in Week 12. Jackson took that opportunity and played 100% of the snaps in weeks 12, 13, and 14. He also played 110 defensive snaps in the Bears’ two playoff games combined. Jackson had 4 straight starts between weeks 12-15. In these four starts combined, Jackson produced 30 tackles (12 solo), 2 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, 2 passes defensed, and 1 interception.
Jackson just signed a two-year extension worth $7.5 million. That is a sign that the Bears have bigger plans than just special teams. Jackson is not just a run stuffer; he excels in pass coverage with a 90.7 pass coverage grade according to Pro Football Focus. After week 12, Sewell had fewer defensive snaps than Jackson, which eliminates Sewell in the starting linebacker competition, it would seem.
Bush is part of the IDP Training Camp Battles for the Bears
Bush is going to be 28-years-old in July and going into his eighth season in the NFL. He was originally drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Michigan. His 5’11” and 235lbs seemed small to be really successful at his position. He is on his fourth team in the past five years. His first four years were in Pittsburgh, where he had one triple-digit tackle season, which was his rookie year. Bush signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023. That didn’t work out as he posted just 37 tackles in 13 games played.
Next was a two-year stint with the Cleveland Browns. This stay went a little better as he played 33 games and started 27 of them. His production increased, but not to the levels of an IDP starting linebacker. 2024 brought just 76 tackles (45 solo), 8 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, and 3 passes defensed. 2025 was even better with 125 tackles (63 solo), 7 tackles for a loss, 4 QB hits, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 8 passes defensed, 3 interceptions, and 2 of those for touchdowns. Cleveland still let him walk, though.
Recap of similarities and differences between Jackson and Bush
Bush and Jackson have yet to put a solid enough resume together to actually have one of these linebackers give them the advantage in earning that starting spot. Jackson has the advantage in defensive snaps played by a wide margin. Bush has played 4,206 defensive snaps, while Jackson has 334 defensive snaps. Jackson just signed a 2-year $7.5 million contract, and Bush just signed a 3-year $30 million contract with $21 million guaranteed. Both players excel in pass coverage according to PFF grades. Bush has an 80.4 grade, and Jackson received a 90.7 grade.
This NFL IDP training camp battle will be worth paying attention to. One of these players will get close to 100% of the defensive snaps, while the other will probably get a lot of the special teams snaps. It will benefit your IDP squad substantially if you have the right Bears linebacker.
Thank you for checking out my NFL IDP Training Camp Battles article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP+ author page. Be sure to follow me on X at @OldMan_FF and @IDP_Plus (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber.
