It's going to be some time before the Chicago Bears 53-man roster is decided. There are still potential changes that could come either from more additions via free agency or an unexpected injury. However, for the time being it appears the main roster building for 2019 is complete. GM Ryan Pace has done all he can to get his team ready for another playoff run.
The only question remaining is how head coach Matt Nagy and his reconfigured staff with whittle down to regular season readiness. This article will take a dive down to the deepest depths of the roster and pull out the 53 names who are most likely to escape the final cuts at the end of August a few months from now.
Needless to say there might be a few surprises people aren't expecting. One little taste for what's to come? More undrafted free agents make the roster than draft picks. Away we go!
Quarterback (2):
- Mitch Trubisky
- Chase Daniel
No surprises here. With such a deep roster, the odds of the Bears carrying three quarterbacks is unlikely. They didn't for a good portion of 2018 until Trubisky got hurt. Having him and Daniel as the primary two is more than enough to handle the schedule. Tyler Bray is a competent 3rd stringer but that roster spot is far more valuable elsewhere.
Runing back (6):
- David Montgomery
- Tarik Cohen
- Mike Davis
- Kerrith Whyte
The top three spots are locked in. Cohen is a vital part of their offense while they traded up to get Montgomery in the draft. They also clearly have plans for Davis as well after signing him to a nice little deal in free agency. The change here is that they sacrifice the fullback spot, looking to open things up more with the speedy and versatile Whyte.
Wide receiver (12):
- Allen Robinson
- Anthony Miller
- Taylor Gabriel
- Cordarrelle Patterson
- Riley Ridley
- Emanuel Hall
This position group could end up being a bit of a blood bath because they have quite a deep pool of talent. Something that never seemed possible for the Bears wide receivers. Times change, it seems. One can surmise the top four spots are secure with Robinson, Miller, Gabriel, and the newly-signed Patterson.
The gray area is those final two spots. Ridley is a 4th round pick so the odds heavily favor him making the team. This leaves a battle for the final spot, most likely between second-year man Javon Wims and rookie undrafted free agent Emanuel Hall. In the end, the Bears go with the far faster Hall.
Tight end (16):
- Trey Burton
- Adam Shaheen
- Ben Braunecker
- Dax Raymond
Mostly the usual suspects here. Burton will be the primary guy again. Despite his whimper of a finish to last season, he did produce nice results in 2018. Nagy remains optimistic in the future of Shaheen, who has proven he can be a weapon in the passing game if he can ever stay healthy.
Braunecker is a nice depth option and special teams presence. The new face is the mix is Raymond. An undrafted free agent out of Utah State, he is a 6'5 player with good route running skill and strong hands. Don't be surprised if he finds offensive snaps early in his career.
Offensive line (25):
- Charles Leno
- Bobby Massie
- Bradley Sowell
- Rashaad Coward
- James Daniels
- Kyle Long
- Cody Whitehair
- Ted Larsen
- Alex Bars
The Bears managed to retain their original five starters from last year. Leno, Daniels, and Whitehair remain firmly in place. Long restructured his contract to remain at right guard while Massie got a new four-year extension after his strong campaign a season ago.
Sowell and Coward also return as the backups at tackle. Where the big change comes is along the interior. Last year it was Eric Kush and Bryan Witzmann. This time it will be the veteran Larsen and Bars, a talented undrafted free agent from Notre Dame with close ties to Harry Hiestand.
Defensive line (30):
Don't expect any surprises here. The defensive line is arguably the strongest area on the entire Bears roster. Hicks and Goldman are studs while Robertson-Harris, Bullard, and Nichols will form a nice three-man rotation at the defensive end position. Nichols in particular could end up having a breakout year after his strong rookie year.
Outside Linebacker (36):
It's still possible the Bears might add another veteran to the mix but the way things stand, they seem content to keep it young and cheap on the bottom half of this position. Mack and Floyd are the unquestioned starters with Floyd being picked up on his 5th-year option on Wednesday. Lynch also returns on a one-year deal after a decent season as the #3 guy in 2018.
Fitts is a former 6th round pick from last year whom the Bears likely want to see more of. Irving has been a steady presence on the bottom of their depth chart. The big name of intrigue is Betts, an undrafted player from Laval up in Canada where he had 35.5 sacks. He has considerable ability. Enough to beat out anyone else in a competition.
Inside Linebacker (40):
Another position group that isn't likely to see much drama. The Bears ran with four inside linebackers last year. If that's the case again, then it's going to be these guys. Trevathan and Smith were outstanding as starters. Kwiatkoski has been a competent backup for years and Iyiegbuniwe was among the team leaders in special teams tackles.
Cornerback (46):
The Bears lost Bryce Callahan to free agency, but they gained Skrine in return. He'll join Fuller and Amukamara in the starting lineup. Where it gets foggy is on the bottom half of the depth chart. Shelley is their new 6th round pick so he stands a good chance of sticking, as does McManis who remains a special teams fixture.
That leaves a strong battle for the final spot between Toliver and 7th round pick Stephen Denmark. Toliver wins here because he is more experienced and far more polished as a cornerback. Denmark is ridiculously athletic but he's also raw and needs time to develop. He will be stashed on the practice squad.
Safety (50):
Out goes Adrian Amos, in comes Clinton-Dix. The Bears know they have one potential star in Jackson at safety. Whether his former Alabama teammate sticks around beyond 2019 will be an interesting question. Either way, they should make a formidable tandem for this season. Houston-Carson and Bush will provide nice depth and special teams help.
Special teams (53):
- John Baron
- Pat O'Donnell
- Patrick Scales
So who ends up winning the Game of Thrones-style kicker competition? That will be Baron, the undrafted free agent from San Diego State. Though a lefty, he shows plenty of power in his leg with consistent accuracy from all distances. Not to mention a cool head under pressure. Weather also doesn't seem to bother him too much.
Scales and O'Donnell will both resume their usual posts at long snapper and punter respectively. Though the latter may have some adjustments to make as a holder on field goals.
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