Why the Bears Will Make These 5 Surprise Cuts In 2017

The Chicago Bears 2017 cuts could be pretty savage this year. That might sound harsh to a lot of people, but it shouldn't. Must this be repeated? The Bears finished 3-13 last season. They were the third-worst team in the entire NFL. By rights this should mean very few players on the roster who weren't brought in during this offseason should be considered untouchable in any sense. That even includes former draft picks made by GM Ryan Pace. It's clear the roster isn't yet where it needs to be. Injuries did play a part in the struggle for sure, but that's still an excuse. Sometimes the road to success in this league is admitting a mistake and moving on. This could be the year where Pace makes those sorts of decisions. There are still several months before training camp and the preseason pass through. Things can change. As they are though, here are five cuts the team should be expected to make. Ones that fans may not see coming.

Jeremy Langford

It's amazing. A year ago Jeremy Langford was considered the heir apparent to Matt Forte. He'd had a strong showing his rookie year with over 800 yards of offense. Hopes were high he would take that next step. It just didn't happen. Injury struck early last season and in stepped Jordan Howard, who finished second in the NFL in rushing. To make matters worse the Bears have since added two backs in Bennie Cunningham and Tarik Cohen who can do everything Langford can on offense with one added bonus. They have special teams value.

Daniel Braverman

It looked like the former seventh round pick was destined to become a huge factor for the Bears as a primarily slot receiver. The replacement for the aging and injury-prone Eddie Royal. For whatever reason he just couldn't crack the roster lost year despite a strong training camp. Most felt that 2017 would be his year to ascend, what with Royal likely being cut. All that changed when the Bears signed veterans Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright. Both of whom have the same exact skill set as him, and more speed to offer.

Hroniss Grasu

The primary issue with the former third round pick is two-fold. First is the horrendous timing of his injury a year ago. He looked like a lock for playing center into the future, but then tore his ACL. This enabled Cody Whitehair to slide into that spot where he now looks like a budding star. To make matters worse most don't see Grasu as a legitimate option at guard. His body type and lack of power make that pretty clear. That lack of versatility could end up being what gets him cut what with plenty of other, more flexible options on the roster.

Mitch Unrein

Like Grasu, the veteran defensive end Unrein also faces multiple concerns. His effectiveness slipped in 2016. He has a lot more competition on the roster now with the arrival of Jaye Howard and continued development of Jonathan Bullard. To top it off he just turned 30-years old. History shows that is a big area of concern for Pace if the player isn't performing at a high level. Unrein may be an old favorite of head coach John Fox, but at some point a decision must made about whether the leadership is worth overlooking the mediocre play.

Kyle Fuller

As other members of the 2014 draft class continue to fall, fans still hold out hope that former first round pick Kyle Fuller can still salvage some of its dignity. He was just starting to play well at the end of 2015. Then he injured his knee and missed all of 2016. As he's worked his way back the Bears haven't bothered to wait for him. They added veterans like Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara. Combined with upside youngsters like Cre'Von LeBlanc and Johnthan Banks? It's becoming harder to justify keeping Fuller on the roster.