The Chicago Bears released their first unofficial depth chart. While the unofficial part should tell you all that you should put into this depth chart stock-wise, it still shows us where each player stands. It also gives us a decent idea of where people will line up and when during the preseason.
So, what are the biggest takeaways from the first depth chart, and what will look to see changes in the coming weeks?
5. Velus Jones is high on the special teams depth chart
The status of Velus Jones is certainly something to watch this summer. He was everything that a bust would give you in year one, and the Bears need some sort of sign of life this preseason. The first depth chart gave some good when it came to Jones.
First, he is inside the top six wide receivers. This was not the case when the depth chart initially came out, but the team made it clear that they wanted to revise this depth chart, ensuring to note that Jones has moved up. This is notable because he passed up Dante Pettis on the depth chart.
Pettis was ahead of Jones all of last season, but he has not been able to practice with an injury. Whether it is a combination of Jones playing well or Pettis not being healthy, they finally made the swap on the depth chart.
Jones is not only the starting kick returner; he is starting at punt return. This may be more important than Pettis over Jones at wideout because the punt return job is the only time these two would see the field. Pettis beat out Jones for the spot last year, but Jones must have done something to jump ahead of him now, and he must have shown enough to win the PR job. That could get him into the WR6 conversation.
4. Roschon Johnson is moving up with the Chicago Bears
It is typical to see rookies down on the first unofficial depth chart, especially because they never stepped into that NFL stadium. A few weeks of practice is one thing, but the game environment changes stories.
For the Chicago Bears the changed happened quick. On the first depth chart, Roschon Johnson was listed as the number five running back. That is behind Travis Homer and Trestan Ebner. However, the Bears quickly updated the depth and pushed him ahead of those two. Now, he is the number three running back.
Roschon Johnson was probably the number five because he was coming back from injury. However, he is better than Ebner in pass protection, and Ebner is still listed ahead of Homer. If anything, this is notable. Homer was signed to be the passing down back, and Ebner struggled in that area as a rookie. Still, a few weeks into training camp has not seen the two flip.
When Johnson was behind both of them, it felt like time to worry about him. However, the quick change shows that it was health related, and if anything, Johnson is on the right track.
3. Kindle Vildor will not make the Chicago Bears roster
When the Chicago Bears drafted two cornerbacks, the vibe was pretty strong that Kindle Vildor would be out the door. The team would save over $2.5M to release Vildor, and he is in the last year of his contract, so his long-term status seems set as well.
Still, he was a starter for all of last year, so the question is do they think higher of him than some of us? The answer is no. Vildor appears to be out of the picture. We knew that when Tyrique Stevenson and Terrell Smith were getting work with the first team early in training camp. Now, the Chicago Bears put it on paper.
Both Smith and Stevenson are second-team, ahead of Vildor. As we noted with Roschon Johnson, this is significant for rookies to move up. Still, the third-team features Greg Stroman and Josh Blackwell. We knew Blackwell would be in the mix at CB5, but Stroman over Vildor is surprising.
More than that, both Jaylon Jones and Michael Ojemudia were fourth string, and both were ahead of Vildor. Vildor is listed next to Macon Clark, a rookie UDFA who has not shot at making the team. These depth charts do not mean much, but for someone so high on the depth chart last year, this was clearly deliberate. Vildor will not play for the Chicago Bears this year.
2. Trevis Gipson may be the Chicago Bears odd man out
When the Chicago Bears signed Yannick Ngakoue, there was a question of which edge rusher this would impact the most. They had a rotation between DeMarcus Walker, Rasheem Green, Trevis Gipson, Dominique Robinson, and Terrell Lewis. Now, who falls to six, and even five is not a lock?
The starters on the depth chart were Walker and Ngakoue. Behind them was Dominique Robinson and Rasheem Green. Neither Is shocking as the team signed Green this year, and they have high hopes for Robinson in year two. The third-string edge rushers were Lewis and then rookie UDFA D'Anthony Jones.
This left Trevis Gipson as a fourth-string player. Lewis is not a huge shock. When Lewis is healthy, he is probably better than Gipson in all areas. The issue with Lewis is health. Still, Gipson being behind Jones is a statement. As we noted with Vildor, Gipson was getting starting work towards the end of last season. So, the team went out of their way to bump him down, especially below a rookie UDFA who has not played a game.
This regime did not draft Trevis Gipson; they gave him a shot, and he failed. This regime drafted and signed every other player in the room. They may be ready to move on, and signing Ngakoue may have signaled it.
1. Alex Leatherwood is getting work at guard, not tackle with the Chicago Bears
The last surprising note is where Alex Leatherwood was lining up. The former first-round pick was playing right tackle last year, but he failed and was benched quickly. This year, it appears they have eyes on him at left guard.
This is notable for a few reasons. First, Aviante Collins is getting work as the backup right tackle. Still, Larry Borom can play both right and left, so the team will probably just keep those three. More than that, Leatherwood is ahead of guys such as Doug Kramer and Dieter Eiselen. Those two are borderline roster players, but they had the interior positions held down.
In the case of Eiselen, he can play guard and center, which could keep him. However, if Leatherwood is the backup guard over Eiselen, and he brings tackle versatility, he is clearly ahead. You can probably put Leatherwood in as the eighth lineman behind the starting five, Lucas Patrick and Larry Borom. He and Ja'Tyre Carter may compete for eight and nine, but it is hard to see either missing the roster. The question now is if they keep a tenth and if that is Eiselen or Kramer.