Chicago Bears 53-man roster projection: Pre-Draft
Now that we are two weeks into free agency, and less than five weeks until the NFL draft, it is fair to note that draft season has officially started. Before the Chicago Bears start to add selections from this 2021 draft class, we first must look to see where the Bears needs are.
Taking a look at a projected 53-man roster will give them a nice idea of where to add, and where they are fine for the moment. Keep in mind, this roster will look a lot different in two months. This is just to see where they stand right now.
Quarterback (2): Andy Dalton, Nick Foles
Nick Foles very well could be traded soon, but for now, he is slotted in behind Andy Dalton. The team will likely sign Tyler Bray again soon, but he can stay on the practice squad.
Running Back (4): David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen, Damien Williams, Ryan Nall
The Chicago Bears could re-sign Cordarelle Patterson but do not seem too interested. Williams is clearly the backup running back now, and while Ryan Nall is on the hot seat, his special teams ability puts him on over Artavis Pierce.
Wide Receiver (5): Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, Darnell Mooney, Riley Ridley, Javon Wims
This is where we see a position of need. Ridley has barely been active over his first two seasons, and while Wims and Miller rotate as the WR3, both are better off as the WR4. Some depth will need to be added.
Tight End (4): Jimmy Graham, Cole Kmet, J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted
Graham and Kmet are obviously on the roster, although Graham could save the team some much-needed cap space. Beyond that, Holtz is a full-back type, and Horsted is a hybrid of sixth receiver and fourth tight end.
Offensive Line (9): Charles Leno, Germain Ifedi, Cody Whitehair, James Daniels, Sam Mustipher, Elijah Wilkinson, Alex Bars, Arlington Hambright, Lachavious Simmons
The first seven are essentially locked in. The bottom two will depend on how the draft goes. Former draft picks Hambright and Simmons could head back to the practice squad if the Bears add enough OL in the 2021 NFL draft.
Defensive Line (5): Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman, Bilal Nichols, Angelo Blackson, Mario Edwards
The Chicago Bears usually keep six linemen here, but Blackson is being paid about what RRH and Brent Urban combined for last season, so he may be taking both roles. Beyond that, they may sign a depth nose tackle, like John Jenkins who was on the roster last season.
Edge Rushers (5): Khalil Mack, Robert Quinn, James Vaughters, Trevis Gipson, Jeremiah Attaochu
They run back the same group but replace Barkevious Mingo with Jeremiah Attaochu.
Linebacker (5): Danny Trevathan, Roquan Smith, Josh Woods, Christian Jones, Joel Iyiegbuniwe
The Bears added much-needed depth with Christian Woods. They are still hoping that Danny Trevathan can find a fountain of youth.
Cornerbacks (6): Jaylon Johnson, Desmond Trufant, Duke Shelley, Kindle Vildor, Xavier Crawford, Tre Roberson
This was the toughest to sort out, After the top three or four, there are serious questions about how much they should trust their depth. With Crawford and Roberson, I added a depth outside, and slot corner. The draft could take care of this issue.
Safety (5) : Eddie Jackson, Deon Bush, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Marqui Christian, Jordan Lucas
The Bears have typically waited until after the draft to sign their starting strong safety. A new name could kick out one of Lucas or Christian soon.
Specialists (3)
Pat O’Donnell, Cairo Santos, Patrick Scales