The Chicago Bears had some serious competition in the preseason finale. It is going to lead to some tough decisions when the team has to cut their roster down to 53 players. Which players on the Bears were right on the bubble, but the last preseason game may have sealed their fate for the worst.
3.Velus Jones Jr.
The debate over whether or not Velus Jones makes the roster will be interesting. The chances of him being a receiver are over. He is not working out with them at all and has not taken any snaps there. At running back, he appears to be buried on the depth chart.
DeAndre Swift, Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson should be locked to make the roster and Travis Homer has been playing a lot with Swift and Johnson out most of the preseason and Herbert joining them in the finale.
In the game against Kansas City Velus Jones was behind rookie UDFA Ian Wheeler. This likely comes down to the intricacies at the position such as pass protection. So, Jones really does not have an offensive role.
On special teams, he has barely had any kickoff return chances. One chance he got led to a fumble. This week, DeAndre Carter started as the kick and punt returner. So, Jones is behind five running backs, he is not a receiver and he is just the backup return man? He has no role on the roster.
2. Ja’Tyre Carter
Ja’Tyre Carter was worth a shot as a draft pick, but it does look like the Bears' seventh-round pick is going to get cut this week. Carter started in two games last season and had to relive Nate Davis and Teven Jenkins in others. However, his play last year led the Bears to realize they needed to upgrade his position.
The team has both Ryan Bates and Matt Pryor to be backup interior linemen. This week, Bill Murray started at left guard over Carter. He has been better than Carter in most of the offseason. When Carter did play this week, he had a holding penalty.
Carter is not even one of the top three backups along the interior line after being the top backup last year. This is a sign of the Bears' improved depth but also speaks to his fall down the roster.
1. Larry Borom
Some of this was out of his control, but at the same time, Borom was always going to be a stretch to make the roster. Borom was like Carter in that he backed up Braxton Jones last year and that caused the team to realize that they needed to upgrade that spot.
The Bears signed Jake Curhan and drafted Kiram Amegadjie in the third round. While Amegadjie was just activated from the NFI and has not played yet, he is going to make the roster. Curhan has been better than Borom and is coming from Seattle with Shane Waldron.
So, it was hard to see Borom making the roster as it was. Still, it is disappointing to see that his last chance to prove himself ended in injury. Perhaps if Borom looked good he could have made a last push for the roster, and he could have shown other teams what he has to offer. Now, there is a real chance he will circle back to the practice squad. That is more likely than him making the initial roster after the Bears' most recent game.