The Chicago Bears had an interesting 2026 NFL Draft, with some controversial selections that could have a massive effect on the 53-man roster when it is finalized in August.
There will be plenty of conversations over the next few months about which rookies could end up taking spots on the roster from veterans. Chicago has been big on getting younger with the roster and showed it last year, with four rookies having massive impacts on the team during its playoff run.
One real question now is which veterans are going to make it and which ones are going to spend the next few months waiting for their end to come, not only in Chicago but potentially in the NFL as well. Here's a look at four of them to keep an eye on over the months before training camp.
Maurice Alexander, WR
Alexander has some familiarity with Bears head coach Ben Johnson from their time together with the Detroit Lions, which might give him a slight advantage. The problem is that they selected Zavion Thomas in the third round of the draft, leaving Alexander's roster status up in the air going into training camp. If he doesn't have a strong preseason, he is most likely out the door.
Jonathan Garvin, EDGE
The Bears have a ton of veteran defensive linemen who could be on the hot seat if they do not make the final 53-man roster. Garvin definitely has some of the biggest questions surrounding him. Garvin has bounced between three NFL teams and had a stint in the United Football League. There's a strong chance that, with the edge rusher depth being so deep, Garvin might not even make it all the way through training camp.
Dallis Flowers, DB
Malik Muhammad was selected in the fourth round, leaving one less spot in the secondary open for the regular season. Flowers was a practice squad player for the Bears last season and certainly looks like he could find his way onto that list again, especially with Zah Frazier also back and expected to play in 2026.
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Jedrick Wills Jr., OT
Wills is such an interesting name to watch as he will be competing for the left tackle spot with Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet, but if he loses to both guys, does he even make the roster altogether? There's a chance he might not even be on the roster for six months and could already be a target to miss the 53-man roster, depending on how training camp goes.
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