Who are the locks to make the Bears 53-man roster?
After some early training camp hype, preseason is right around the corner. With that, the roster is going to see a lot of change, and the players who need to step will have to have made their move. Before the real fun begins, we will give one last go of what the roster could look like as the Bears head into the regular season.
Quarterback 3, Mike Glennon, Mitchell Trubisky, Mark Sanchez
The quarterback position is likely the most obvious in terms of who will make the team. There is a small crowd that will be hoping for Connor Shaw to get a chance but it is not going to happen. Whether fans like it or not, Mark Sanchez has the most experience on the team and is better in the tape room than he is on the field. Why do you think he got drafted so high? These are going to be your three quarterbacks.
Running back, 4, Jordan Howard, Tarik Cohen, Benny Cunningham, Jeremy Langford
Full back, 1, Michael Burton
For the Bears, the question is how many running backs can make the team. Adding a full back into the mix may force them to only keeping three backs, but they can make it work and keep depth as they head into the regular season. Howard is the obvious bell cow of the group. Cunningham and Cohen are the pass catchers, and Cunningham may be a temporary place holder for Cohen would see the brunt of the work. Langford edges out Ka’Deem Carey on the fact that he is a better touchdown scorer and goal line runner than Carey. However, Langford has struggled to practice with an ankle injury, and preseason snaps could propel Carey over Langford.
Wide Receiver, 6, Cameron Meredith, Kevin White, Markus Wheaton, Kendall Wright, Victor Cruz, Josh Bellamy
The receiver is a deep position in terms of names, but every name comes with a question mark of its own. That is why it would be no surprise to see the team keep six wide receivers this season. Meredith, White, and Wheaton are the locks. They are the three with the highest ceilings and with the majority of
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the investment.
Wright should be able to find a job as a possession, slot receiver. Bellamy has a good cause to make the team as a special teams asset who has receiver experience. Cruz was added late into the preseason, but on name value and veteran leadership, he would have to get injured and prove he is well behind what he once was to make get cut.
Tight End 3: Zach Miller, Adam Shaheen, Dion Sims
The tight end position should almost be as cut and dry as the quarterback spot. There will be a chance for Ben Braunecker, and the health status of Zach Miller could make that worthy of a debate. However, it is unlikely the keep four, and the swap would just be one for one. In all likelihood, though, it is these three heading into the season.
Offensive Line, 8, Bobby Massie, Charles Leno, Kyle Long, Josh Sitton, Cody Whitehair, Hroniss Grasu, Jordan Morgan, Bradley Sowell
The five starters should be Massie, Leno, Long, Sitton, and Whitehair. The big difference here will be that the team is not carrying Eric Kush. Of course, Kush has been placed on the Injured Reserved with a hamstring injury. This will shoot Jordan Morgan into a role and makes Hronis Grasu more valuable. Sowell has stood out as the top swing tackle so far, and with Morgan having tackle experience, they should have enough depth to just keep eight linemen.
Defensive Line, 6, Jaye Howard, Eddie Goldman, Akiem Hicks, Jonathan Bullard, Mitch Unrein, John Jenkins
The first four should be locks. Goldman and Hicks are the top two starters. Howard should be with them so long as he stays healthy. Nothing has been reported regarding his health which is a good sign at this point. Bullard struggled as a rookie but should be able to make the team for a second chance and a chance to step forward. Unrein played the second most snaps for the Bears on the defensive line last season, giving him a great chance to make the team. Lastly is Jenkins, who is the only other lineman besides Eddie Goldman who profiles as a nose tackle.
Linebackers, 9, Leonard Floyd, Danny Trevathan, Willie Young, Lamarr Houston, Jerrell Freeman, Nick Kwiatkowski, Christian Jones, Sam Acho, Dan Skuta
The big name missing is Pernell McPhee. However, McPhee is currently on the PUP and given that he recently had a knee procedure. There is a chance that he will miss the start of the season, and being that he is already on the PUP, it would make sense that they use his designation to keep another linebacker. Trevathan, Floyd, Freeman, Young, Houston, and Kwiatkowski are locks. Christian Jones has impressed in camp so far and should get plenty of shots to make the team, especially on special teams. Given the injury to McPhee, the Bears would likely carry two extra outside linebackers. This would effectively make Acho and Skuta very close to lock status.
Next: Training camp update: Trubisky
Cornerback, 5, Prince Amukamara, Kyle Fuller, Crevon LeBlanc, Marcus Cooper, Bryce Callahan
There is some speculation that Fuller may be on the trade block, but as of now, he is likely a candidate to make the roster. Amukamara and Cooper just signed making them very likely to make the team. Callahan and LeBlanc both split time in the slot last season and are likely competing for time there this year. Either way, both have advantages over BW Webb, Johnthan Banks, and Sherrick McManis.
Safety, 5, Quintin Demps, Adrian Amos, Harold Jones-Quartey, Eddie Jackson, Deiondre’ Hall
Demps and Jackson are the two locks to make the team. Amos is as close to a lock as it gets, and he has been splitting starter snaps with Jackson. Hall is a bit of a project, but he can bring special teams value and a decently high ceiling. Jones-Quartey can also play special teams, and he has been a starter in the past two seasons, giving him an inside shot. Deon Bush and Deandre Houston-Carson are the two names missing but both have practice squad eligibility.