3 Chicago Bears who will likely be off the 53-man roster by Week 5

Daniel Hardy, DE

I know fans are not going to be happy seeing Daniel Hardy on this list. However, if Hardy cannot contribute on the field because the guys in front of him are seeing all of the reps and performing admirably, then Hardy could be the odd man out.

Hardy was a seventh-round draft pick of the Rams in 2022. He has barely seen any game action and I wonder if that holds true while here in Chicago. Hardy deserved to make the initial roster, but I thought he could see a similar treatment as we saw for Trevis Gipson and Terrell Lewis last season -- two guys who performed well in the preseason but didn't make the team. In fact, they didn't achieve much for any team last season.

Although clearly a fan favorite this preseason, Hardy could be the first to be shown the door on defense. Especially knowing that Jacob Martin, also a defensive end, is likely to return by Week 5 when he comes off of injured reserve. Martin has more of an established career in the NFL.
Martin has 18 sacks during his six-year career. His experience alone is likely to push Hardy off the 53-man roster and onto the practice squad.

The other name to consider here is Dominique Robinson, but even Robinson has a more established career in the NFL. Not to mention, he was directly mentioned by Matt Eberflus when talking about the defensive line rotation after the trade for Darrell Taylor. Also, Robinson was drafted by this regime and I think the Chicago Bears have proven to hold onto some of their higher draft picks (Rounds 1 through 4) longer than many fans think they should.