Free agency is done. The draft is done. Undrafted free agency is done. Every major section of the NFL offseason has passed. Now the Chicago Bears will begin preparations for training camp, where head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles look to whittle down the roster into what they hope is another playoff contender. A lot has changed in the past few months. Several starters from last season are gone, headlined by Kevin Byard, Nahshon Wright, Jaquan Brisker, and D.J. Moore.
Some wonder if the team will have the necessary depth required to make a run this year or if they lost too much. To assess that, we are looking at the state of the roster ahead of training camp. Who are the locks to earn jobs, and who has work to do to earn a spot? How things play out may help determine whether this Bears team is strong enough.
The Chicago Bears have some interesting depth battles ahead.
Quarterbacks
- Lock: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent
- Good chance: Case Keenum
- Long shot: Miller Moss
This one seems pretty straightforward. The Bears carried three quarterbacks into the regular season last year. All three of those quarterbacks are still on the roster. Maybe they change their minds on that number if they wish to hold onto somebody at another position. Otherwise, the only person in the mix with virtually no shot to make it is Moss. The best he can hope for is a practice squad spot.
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Running backs
- Lock: D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai
- Good chance: Roschon Johnson
- Long shot: Brittain Brown, Deion Hankins, Coleman Bennett
This position is a little more wide open. Right now, Johnson has the inside track on that third spot behind Swift and Monangai because of his special teams experience. However, it is far from a firm grip, given his injury problems. The door is open for one of the younger guys to make an impression this summer. Bennett is probably one to watch. He was impressive at Kennessaw State. His arrival as an undrafted free agent is noteworthy.
Wide Receivers
- Lock: Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, Khalif Raymond, Zavion Thomas
- Good chance: Jahdae Walker
- Long shot: JP Richardson, Omar Kelly, Squirrel White, Maurice Alexander
This position group seems mostly settled before training camp even begins. Raymond isn’t going anywhere because of his connection to head coach Ben Johnson and his special teams value. Thomas is a 3rd round pick. Walker finished last season strong and has a tight bond with Williams. That is five spots accounted for, leaving one left for the remaining four guys to fight over. Keep an eye on which of them stands out on special teams in the preseason three months from now.
Tight ends
- Lock: Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Sam Roush
- Good chance: N/A
- Long shot: Stephen Carlson, Hayden Large, Nikola Kalinic, Qadir Ismail
The Chicago Bears only carried three tight ends into the regular season last year, so this position might already be sewn up before camp even begins. Loveland and Kmet are no-doubt starters, and Roush was a 3rd round pick. They have big plans for him. It falls on the other four guys to make a strong enough impression to compel the coaching staff to alter their plans and carry a fourth.
Offensive line
- Lock: Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Logan Jones, Jonah Jackson, Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones
- Good chance: Jedrick Wills, Theo Benedet, Luke Newman
- Long shot: Kiran Amegadjie, Caden Barnett, Kyle Hergel, Jaren Kump, Jordan McFadden
Much of this depends on how the two roster battles at left tackle and center shake out. There is an outside possibility that the Bears may wish to trade Bradbury if he loses to Jones. Barring that, it’s a rather crowded position group. Amegadjie isn’t protected by his draft status anymore. The two prominent names to watch for, maybe for grabbing a tenth spot on the depth chart, are McFadden, who started a playoff game, and Barnett, who the Bears paid a lot to sign as an undrafted free agent.
Defensive line
- Lock: Montez Sweat, Gervon Dexter, Grady Jarrett, Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Shemar Turner
- Good chance: Daniel Hardy, Jordan Van Den Berg, Neville Gallimore
- Long shot: Kentavius Street, James Lynch, Jayden Loving, Jamree Kromah, Jonathan Garvin, Jeremiah Martin
As much as fans may wish otherwise, the team is stuck with Odeyingbo for at least one more season. Hardy should stick because of his special teams value, while Gallimore and Van Den Berg offer high potential as interior pass rushers. Everybody else doesn’t really stand out as valuable enough to justify a guaranteed spot. That becomes especially true if the Bears decide to sign another veteran to fortify the edge rusher position before the season, as many expect.
Linebackers
- Lock: T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, Keyshaun Elliott, D’Marco Jackson
- Good chance: Jack Sanborn, Ruben Hyppolite
- Long shot: Noah Sewell, Nephi Sewell, Dominique Hampton
Edwards and Bush should be unquestioned starters on defense, while Jackson and Sanborn likely battle it out for the third spot. Elliott and Hyppolite are both recent draft picks. Sewell had the misfortune of getting hurt last season, leaving his future uncertain. There really isn’t much room for discussion at linebacker this year. Most of the spots seem pretty much locked in, barring a surprise.
Cornerbacks
- Lock: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, Malik Muhammad
- Good chance: Josh Blackwell
- Long shot: Terell Smith, Zah Frazier, Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers, Dontae Manning, KC Eziomune
Like wide receiver, the cornerback position seems pretty top-heavy with four guys almost certain to get roster spots. Blackwell is a strong possibility due to his immense special teams value. That means the remaining six players must fight it out for the sixth spot. Smith is coming off a torn ACL, which makes him an unknown quantity. Frazier didn’t practice or play at all last season. Jones may have an early edge from special teams experience. It is a bit of a jumbled mess that camp is likely to straighten out.
Safeties
- Lock: Coby Bryant, Dillon Thieneman
- Good chance: Elijah Hicks, Cam Lewis
- Long shot: Skyler Thomas, Gervarrius Owens
The Chicago Bears have their starters at safety. Bryant and Thieneman might be the most versatile combo this team has put together in years. Hicks is a special teams ace. He has his spot. Lewis was signed because of his ability to play safety and nickel cornerback, which also increases his chances. Thomas and Owens can only hope that Dennis Allen decides to carry a fifth safety. That doesn’t seem probable at this early stage.
