The preseason is all but over. Eyes have begun to turn towards Green Bay and opening night of the 2018 season. Now the coaching staff must focus on the Chicago Bears projected 53-man roster. Before September 1st they must make the decisions to cut 37 players. Not an easy task to say the least. They’re going to be breaking a lot of hearts before the month is out.
Yet it’s a job that must be done. So with the decision likely made with the bulk of the preseason done, it’s time to ask the big question. Who’s in and who’s out? Here is a full breakdown of predictions for the entire Bears roster from top to bottom feature those who make the cut and those who fail. Be prepared for a few mild shocks.
Quarterback
- Mitch Trubisky
- Chase Daniel
- Tyler Bray
The big question here isn’t whether another might sneak into the rotation. It’s whether the Bears will decide to carry two or three quarterbacks into the season. A lot of teams try to grab an extra roster spot by sacrificing their third-string QB and rolling with just the starter and backup. Chicago did this in the past but given their history of shaky health at the position it’s unlikely they let Bray go. Especially after his strong preseason showing.
Running back
- Jordan Howard
- Tarik Cohen
- Benny Cunningham
- Michael Burton
Howard and Cohen were locked from the start. Both figure to become fixtures in the new offense. Maybe even one of the best two-headed monsters in the NFL. Cunningham was challenged for the third spot by Taquan Mizzell and Ryan Nall but neither was able to outperform him, particularly on special teams. As for Burton, it’s clear the Bears plan to feature formations that call for a fullback and he’s the only one on the roster. So it’s kind of a win by default.
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Wide receiver
- Allen Robinson
- Anthony Miller
- Taylor Gabriel
- Javon Wims
- Kevin White
- Josh Bellamy
The top three were easy picks. Robinson and Gabriel were high-priced free agent additions while Miller is a second round draft choice. Wims has been the best offensive player of the preseason, showcasing his considerable upside and growing confidence. White was a tough choice. Unless the Bears were able to trade him, which is unlikely, they gain nothing by cutting him. Better to take the Kyle Fuller approach and see if a contract year wakes him up. Bellamy, love him or hate him, is a quality reserve and special teams standout.
Tight end
- Trey Burton
- Adam Shaheen
- Dion Sims
- Daniel Brown
Burton and Shaheen could end up forming one of the most underrated tight end pairings in the league if both can stay healthy. They were electric in their limited preseason snaps. Sims may not be worth the money but he’s decent as a blocker and can catch the occasional pass. Brown has prior experience playing with Trubisky and is capable of doing more on the field than Ben Braunecker at this point.
Offensive line
- Charles Leno Jr.
- Bobby Massie
- Bradley Sowell
- Rashaad Coward
- Cody Whitehair
- James Daniels
- Eric Kush
- Kyle Long
Some might feel more comfortable if the Bears carried nine blockers but they are benefitting from a ton of versatility on the interior. Whitehair, Daniels, and Kush are all capable of playing both guard and center. So they can play either of those three positions. Sowell is the primary tackle backup but Coward has been one of the bigger surprises of this preseason. He was a defensive lineman last year, don’t forget. His rapid progress and upside make it too hard to risk trying to sneak him onto the practice squad.
#Bears DE Roy Robertson-Harris (@BigXander95; 6-7 295) with the bull rush sack. He's been a force this preseason. Current sack leader (3.5) pic.twitter.com/g142UD9Y50
— DLineVids (@DLineVids) August 19, 2018
Defensive line
- Akiem Hicks
- Eddie Goldman
- Roy Robertson-Harris
- Bilal Nichols
- Jonathan Bullard
- Nick Williams
This was the toughest unit to hash out. Hicks and Goldman were no-brainers. Robertson-Harris had the best preseason of any Bears defensive lineman and looks like a possible breakout candidate. Nichols, their fifth round pick has come along faster than expected. Bullard still has value even if it doesn’t look like he’ll ever realize his full potential. The biggest surprise is Williams. He was a no-name when camp starter and went on to flash constantly throughout the past four games. He’s earned his spot.
Linebacker
- Leonard Floyd
- Sam Acho
- Isaiah Irving
- Kylie Fitts
- Aaron Lynch
- Danny Trevathan
- Roquan Smith
- Nick Kwiatkoski
- Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Given their uncertain pass rush situation, the Bears are likely to keep five instead of four as they did last year. Better to have a larger rotation of bodies to throw at the problem when the majority of them are uncertainties. Lynch probably doesn’t deserve his spot but he’ll stick because the team situation is that bad.
Trevathan, Smith, Kwiatkoski, and Iyiegbuniwe are all secure due to draft status or prior production. The one hard decision was leaving John Timu off. He’s a quality reserve and reliable special teams players. The numbers game just finally caught up to him.
Loved seeing Cre'von LeBlanc busting out the Peanut Punch to seal the win last night! #BearDown pic.twitter.com/JlbooLpaAx
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) August 19, 2018
Defensive back
- Kyle Fuller
- Prince Amukamara
- Bryce Callahan
- Cre’Von LeBlanc
- Sherrick McManis
- Kevin Toliver
- Eddie Jackson
- Adrian Amos
- DeAndre Houston-Carson
- Deiondre Hall
For once the Bears have stability in their secondary. Fuller, Amukamara, Callahan, Jackson, and Amos are all returning starters. McManis is their special teams captain. LeBlanc did enough in preseason to survive another year while Toliver flashed significant upside in camp and game action.
Houston-Carson was having a great preseason before breaking his arm but he should be safe. The tough call was Hall over Deon Bush. Hall got himself in trouble with a one-game suspension but the fact is he’s more versatile and around the ball more often than Bush.
Special teams
- Cody Parkey
- Pat O’Donnell
- Patrick Scales
Parkey was safe the moment he signed that big contract as a free agent. O’Donnell and Scales though encountered some training camp and preseason competition for the first time this year. Nothing has indicated they’ve lost their jobs though. Barring a surprise move by Nagy and the coaching staff, the ST trio should be settled.
