Chicago Bears 2023 Roster Ranking: No. 77 Gabe Houy
The countdown of the Chicago Bears roster is underway as we continue to countdown the days until the team is back to practicing this summer. This list is looking at the 90-man roster before it dwindles to 53. We are looking at which players will impact games and which fringe players have the best chance of making the roster.
We are only sitting at number 77 as of now.
Chicago Bears 2023 Roster Ranking: No. 77 Gabe Houy
Gabe Houy is a rookie UDFA from Pitt. He spent five-year with the Panthers, redshirting his freshman year. Houy had to deal with some injuries early in the 2022 season but wound up starting five games to finish the year. He also made four appearances as a reserve as he was eased in.
Houy played 2,389 snaps at Pitt, with 1,657 as a right tackle, 653 as a right guard, and 64 as a left tackle. When Kenny Pickett was in Heisman contention he shuffled between right guard and right tackle, but last year he stuck at right tackle.
It would be ideal if Houy could step into the depth right tackle spot and push Alex Leatherwood. However, he has arms below 33" in length, and we know that the Chicago Bears will factor that in. Still, while that may be the difference between two high-end prospects, they may let the UDFA slide into where he fits best.
Even if he does not, the depth across the offensive line is not that strong. He could slot in behind Nate Davis. Lucas Patrick will be the backup center, and Ja'Tyre Carter will back up one spot. Either the team will keep someone like Deiter Eiselen, or a guy like Gabe Houy can sneak onto the roster.
The fact that he is a UDFA and does not have a defined position will definitely have him closer to 80 than 53 as we enter the summer months. However, the depth chart is wide open, and it would not take long for someone like him to jump ten spots or so. The first step is settling into a position.
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A most likely scenario may be locking down a spot, sticking to the practice squad, and being a bit higher on the 2024 list as he competes to make the team again.