The Chicago Bears are largely set at the top of their roster going into the 2019 season. Every position group has at least one quality starter in it and some of them have two or even three. It may be one of the deepest teams they’ve had in a long time. To a point where they may have to let go of some talented players when the final cutdowns arrive at the end of August following the preseason.
Sure the preseason games don’t matter, but they’re not useless. They can be a great way of evaluating the bottom half of the depth chart. Star power is important but in the NFL the best teams are the one who stay productive when they inevitably lose players to injuries. It certainly worked last year for the likes of Taquan Mizzell and Kevin Toliver who turned solid showings into roster spots.
This begs the question. Out of the 90 members currently donning navy blue, who are the ones with the most to gain or lose when preseason begins?
Chicago Bears with the most to gain:
Marvin Hall and Emanuel Hall
Right now it’s becoming clear that Javon Wims is gaining a stranglehold on the coveted sixth wide receiver spots behind Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Riley Ridley. That isn’t liable to change in camp, which means big plays in the preseason will be needed if anybody is going to knock Wims out of that spot. The Bears love speed and the Hall “brothers” certainly don’t lack for it. Both have lots of potential but they need to show they can be more than just one-trick ponies.
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Dax Raymond
The Bears carried five tight ends last season but it doesn’t appear that will happen again in 2019. That means only one spot might be open. Trey Burton, Adam Shaheen, and Ben Braunecker appear to be locked for the final 53. That means rookie Dax Raymond will have to get past converted tackle Bradley Sowell and fellow rookie Ian Bunting for that final spot. Raymond is tall, athletic and a good route runner. He fits the type of weapon this offense likes.
Chuck Harris and Mathieu Betts
The Bears have two quality starters at outside linebacker in Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd. Where it gets a bit foggy is their depth. Aaron Lynch returns to be their #3 guy but beyond him, it feels like there are potential opportunities. All one has to do is make an impression. The team really likes their pair of undrafted free agents in Chuck Harris and Mathieu Betts. Harris is an intriguing athlete who flashed at Buffalo. Betts was one of the most productive rushers in Canadian college football history.
Duke Shelley
Buster Skrine still looks like the favorite to replace Bryce Callahan as the starting slot cornerback on defense. However, his grip on the job is hardly complete. That’s because 6th round rookie Duke Shelley is making a lot of noticeable plays in practice. It’s hard to ignore him. That is the first step. If he can prove able to do it in live game action then the coaches may have to seriously consider giving him playing time.
Bears with the most to lose:
Adam Shaheen
The Bears have remained patient and optimistic with Shaheen thus far. Yet even they can’t wait forever. The former 2nd round pick continues to suffer ill-timed health problems. This time a nagging back issue that knocked him out for most of the first week of training camp. Injuries have come to define most of his career thus far. If he can’t at least get some action in preseason, or if others perform well at that position, his status either as a starter or even a member of the roster could be called into question.
Jonathan Bullard
The Bears have had problems hitting on 3rd round picks in recent years. They certainly hope that streak comes to an end with David Montgomery. Many thought it would with Jonathan Bullard back in 2016. He looked like an explosive player with so much potential. While he did develop into a decent rotational defensive end, he never became the starter many expected. Now he’s firmly stuck behind Akiem Hicks, Bilal Nichols, and Roy Robertson-Harris. He best hope nobody else at his position stands out in August or he could be gone.
Isaiah Irving
Remember Harris and Betts earlier? They along with former 6th round pick Kylie Fitts will be gunning for Isaiah Irving. He’s firmly held the 4th outside linebacker spot for some time though he hasn’t done much with it. Given how much defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano likes to get after the quarterback, this will be a position he watches closely. Irving has survived for a long time on this roster but he’s facing more competition than he ever has before.
Elliott Fry and Eddy Pineiro
Rest assured. Neither of the kicking candidates on the current roster in Elliott Fry and Eddy Pineiro can call themselves secure. Head coach Matt Nagy made it clear the team was ready and willing to move on if neither of them proves equal to the task of handling the job in Chicago. Thus far each has performed well in camp but preseason will offer a chance to see them at Soldier Field and on the road. Those kicks will be the most important of their respective careers.
