3 head-scratching roster cuts the Chicago Bears might make this offseason

Every offseason fans become infatuated with players who are considered the underdog. These are the offseason heroes who shine in preseason and during training camp, but usually do not amount to much during their careers. Ryan Nall just retired for example. If any of these three players are cut this offseason, fans and analysts might be scratching their heads.

Chicago Bears, Velus Jones
Chicago Bears, Velus Jones | Meg Oliphant/GettyImages
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Chicago Bears, Larry Borom
Chicago Bears, Larry Borom | Cooper Neill/GettyImages

Many fans are likely to get upset with a Larry Borom release

Larry Borom came into the league the same year the Bears drafted Justin Fields and Teven Jenkins (2021). He was a fifth-round draft pick who was expected to be a solid depth piece. Borom pushed the likes of Germain Ifedi and Elijah Wilkinson. Some even thought he looked better than Jenkins and at the very worst could develop into the team's swing tackle.

Unfortunately for the Chicago Bears, Borom hasn't developed into that type of player. In fact, he has regressed since his rookie season. He is extremely inconsistent and I was ready to move on from him in 2023. Fortunately for Borom, the team didn't have anyone else to rely on in 2022. That wasn't from a lack of trying to move on though.

Braxton Jones won the starting left tackle position and the team signed Riley Reiff to start at right tackle. Reiff struggled during the preseason and training camp, which led to the Bears claiming Alex Leatherwood off waivers. Leatherwood was dealing with mono and never fully recovered, but he also proved in 2023 that he just isn't as good as the hype surrounding him coming out of college. Borom has been better than Reiff and Leatherwood the last two years, but that doesn't make him good. He looked dreadful in 2023 filling in at left tackle while Braxton Jones recovered from an injury.

With all this negativity about Borom, then why would it be a head-scratching move for the Chicago Bears to cut him this offseason? Why would I want him to stick around despite wanting them to go in a different direction in both 2022 and 2023? The simple answer goes back to the same reason why Poles kept Borom in 2022 and 2023 -- he had no one else.

Borom is still playing on a cheap rookie deal and the Bears haven't found anyone to replace him. Jake Curhan could push Borom out the door. Especially, since he's coming from Seattle -- Shane Waldron's last steam. The hope is that rookie tackle Kiran Amegadjie wows the Chicago Bears enough to become the team's swing tackle. I wouldn't be upset if Poles finally moved on from Borom, but I'd question who will fill that need of depth. I guess it is possible that Borom is thrown on the practice squad. Only Ryan Pace would be crazy enough to want to sign him off the Bears' practice squad.