People always insist that the first depth chart released by a team is unofficial. It isn’t indicative of how the final roster will look come opening day. This is technically true. However, history has shown that this depth chart does still offer some hints about which way the coaching staff is leaning in terms of roster battles. The 2026 version is no different. With the Chicago Bears four days away from the preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, head coach Ben Johnson has released the first depth chart.
It isn’t short on interesting notes. Just start with the left tackle spot. Braxton Jones remains listed as the starter despite his recent leg injury. Jedrick Willis seems to be his primary competition, with Kiran Amegadjie and Theo Benedet bringing up the rear. Jahdae Walker is the fourth wide receiver ahead of 3rd round pick Zavion Thomas.
Defensively, Dayo Odeyingbo is still listed as a starter opposite Montez Sweat despite how well Austin Booker played to finish last season. Curiously, Jack Sanborn is listed behind Noah Sewell at linebacker. Rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad is already in the top four at his position as well.
A lot could be riding on the Chicago Bears’ opener.
You never want to say one game could be a pivot point for so many jobs. Still, there are only three games in the preseason. There isn’t much time to deliberate. Johnson and his staff must make their evaluations and establish a starting lineup soon so everybody can get on the same page before heading to Carolina for week one. That means a great performance against Cleveland might be enough to secure jobs for some of these guys. On the other hand, if Jones or anybody else struggles, it could open the door for someone else to seize momentum.
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One position that has already been decided is long snapper. Undrafted rookie Beau Gardner beat out Luke Elkin, who was recently waived by the team. Probably one of the more interesting spots to watch is returner. Kalif Raymond is listed as the starter at the moment, but there is a strong possibility the Chicago Bears end up handing that to Thomas. He has extensive college experience in that job, and it would serve as the perfect way to get him some touches without feeding him targets on offense.
Plenty of names have a chance to build on their momentum from practice.
The first that comes to mind is Jordan Van Den Berg. Though he’s a 6th round pick, the rookie defensive tackle hasn’t wasted time making a big impression. It has been enough to earn legitimate reps with the starting defense. Coaches love his mix of power and explosiveness. Then you have wide receiver Kaden Davis, a late addition before training camp, who came over from the UFL and has been making several big catches over the past week. He could end up challenging Scotty Miller for that sixth and final slot.
Last but not least, Ruben Hyppolite has surged in recent days after he suffered a season-ending injury last year. The Bears put a ton of pressure on him when they added several linebackers to the mix, including Sanborn and special teams standouts like Jon Rhattigan and Tony Fields II. The former 4th round pick senses the pressure and seems to be responding well. Saturday should be educational.
