The Chicago Bears moved their 80-man roster down to 53 with a barrage of cuts, releases, and roster moves. The reality is that the roster will change, potentially even very soon. However, there are some takeaways that have to come from the initial look of the roster.
What are the big headlines from the initial roster release?
Just four cornerbacks
The biggest surprise is that Desmond Trufant did not make the roster. However, when you realize he has not been in camp with a family emergency, it becomes more understandable. Trufant may try to come back at a later date, and that may be where they add another corner.
However, at this point, they have to add another corner. What is interesting is that as we broke down the cornerback battle we noted that Xavier Crawford, Artie Burns, Thomas Graham, and Tre Roberson were dueling for one spot.
While you would assume two would make it with the release of Trufant it was still just one cornerback of that group, Xavier Crawford who made it. We noted that he had a good shot to get a roster spot after his preseason.
Seven Linebackers
While Graham, Burns, and Roberson all were let go, the team could not decide on linebacker and kept all of them. We had assumed that Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Caleb Johnson, and Josh Woods all may have been practice squad candidates. Maybe one of those three could make the roster. Nope, all three did.
This is worth noting because the team played Danny Trevathan last preseason game, and word is that he may have had to earn a spot. Beyond that, Alec Ogletree was a late signee. It seems as though the Bears over-prepared at linebacker and were surprised when they wound up with depth.
Iggy may have locked down his spot with an impressive last preseason game.
Jesper Horsted and JP Holtz both made it
The thought early in training camp was that Jesper Horsted was going to be on the outside looking in, just like last year. With Jesse James as tight end three, Holtz was holding down the fourth spot because he plays the H-back role.
With that in mind, it would be hard for Horsed to make it as a fifth tight end. However, after his huge preseason finale, the argument was that Holtz may get cut because he is banged up and did not play in the last preseason game.
Perhaps Holtz could still end up on the IR, and the Bears add a corner in that manner. However, as of now, it looks like the Chicago Bears are saying that they are satisfied with four tight ends, and Holtz being the fifth as the H-back type. Matt Nagy does love his tight ends, and he proved it.
Lachavious Simmons and Elijah Wilkinson made it
To be fair, it makes sense that the Chicago Bears would rather have more tackle depth than guard depth. At the same time, there was a thought that Larry Borom and Jason Peters would be the two at left tackle. Then, Germain Ifedi and one of Elijah Wilkinson and Lachavious Simmons would be the right-side players. The Bears went with three right tackles instead.
Again, this is fair. Ifedi has done nothing to prove that the team should throw everything out and commit to him. They should have two backup plans for a player with as many questions as him. Simmons spent the first two games at right tackle, then Wilkinson spent the third game over there.
So, this is not typical of all teams but is not a head-scratching decision overall.
No Dazz Newsome
One of the clear intentions of the offseason was to improve the depth of the wide receiver room. Anthony Miller, Riley Ridley, and Javon Wims were uncontested and none had proven anything. All three are gone now.
The team signed Marquise Goodwin, Damiere Byrd, and drafted Dazz Newsome to replace those three. They almost had the three-for-three swap, but they were pleasantly surprised by a veteran PS player in Rodney Adams.
Adams earned the job over Newsome, no doubt, but the thought was that one of those linebackers, or right tackle, or tight end spots would go to Adams and that Newsome would still be stepping for one of those three. He did not, though.
To be fair, Newsome was banged up and was pressing to get back on the field. He did not play the first preseason game. He is a day three pick and a logical pick to come back to the practice squad, so all is not lost, but it is worth noting because plans changed a bit in his case.