Quarterbacks: Justin Fields and Trevor Siemian
Justin Fields doesn’t require an explanation for why he’ll make the final roster. Trevor Siemian is in a QB battle with Nathan Peterman for QB2 and Siemian seems to be leading that battle. The Bears’ offense has looked better with Siemian on the field and he has put up better numbers with 3 TDs, 0 INTs, and 137 yards. Nathan Peterman will be on the practice squad but Trevor Siemian will ultimately be the one that makes the final 53-man roster.
Running Backs: David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert, Treston Ebner, Darrynton Evans
David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert are no-brainers to make the final roster. Ebner and Evans have looked excellent in the preseason as both have 15 carries for 60 and 59 yards. They’ve also shown value in the passing game with Ebner tallying a receiving touchdown. They’ll make the final roster and most likely see the field at least a couple of times per game.
Wide Receivers: Darnell Mooney, Velus Jones, Equanimious St. Brown, Byron Pringle, Tajae Sharpe, Isaiah Coulter, and N’Keal Harry
The Bears’ wide receiver room has been open to competition all preseason long with Darnell Mooney and Velus Jones being the only true locks. Equanimous St. Brown has been extremely impressive in training camp and will own a sure-fire roster spot at this point. Byron Pringle only needed to perform to expectation in camp to make the roster and has met that standard. N’Keal Harry has been injured all preseason but will return within the next few weeks. His size and athleticism make him a great fit to at the very least be a great blocker on outside runs. Harry doesn’t technically take up a spot on the final roster as he is injured, but once he is healthy he will be taking up a spot on the team. Tajae Sharpe and Isaiah Coutler are the two most up-in-the-air picks for the final roster as they are in close competition with several other receivers. Both of them have stood out the most in the preseason with timely and impressive catches. Guys like Nsimba Webster and Dante Pettis are still in contention to take those spots but Sharpe and Coulter are the two that have stepped up the most this preseason.
Fullback: Khari Blassingame
Yes, the Bears will be playing football with a runningback again. Blassingame will give the Bears’ weak offensive line a little boost with his lead run blocking and pass blocking.
Tight Ends: Cole Kmet, James O’Shaughnessy, and Ryan Griffin
The Bears have sported far too many tight ends than necessary the previous two seasons and this year they will finally not have unnecessary tight ends on the roster. Kmet is the TE1 and is looking for a breakout this season so that he can be a great safety valve for Justin Fields. O’Shaughnessy and Ryan Griffin both have been solid tight ends in the NFL for years now and could allow the Bears to run some solid multiple tight end sets.
Offensive Line: Cody Whitehair, Riley Rieff, Teven Jenkins, Larry Borom, Braxton Jones, Lucas Patrick, Michael Schofield, Sam Mustipher, Ja’Tyre Carter.
The majority of the offensive line was an easy pick as this unit is pretty weak without a lot of competition. Cody Whitehair is the longest-tenured Bear and is still a starting lineman for them. Teven Jenkins, Larry Borom, and Braxton Jones provide youth to the tackle position with the chance of getting developed into brick walls. Riley Rieff and Michael Schofield are veterans who provide a lot of versatility and experience to a fairly inexperienced group. Sam Mustipher and Lucas Patrick aren’t good options by any means but the Bears are lacking in the interior lineman department and they are their best options. Ja’Tyre Carter is a depth piece who barely edges into the 53-man roster. Hopefully, this line can be enough to not get Fields killed this season.
Defensive Line: Angelo Blackson, Khyris Tonga, Justin Jones, and Trevon Coley
The Bears’ defensive line certainly took a step back this offseason, leaving the door open for guys to step up. Angelo Blackson and Khyris Tonga were solid pieces on the line last season in the absences of Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman. With those two gone this season, Blackson and Tonga have a chance to be legit starters. Justin Jones is a solid addition for depth after playing the first four years with the Chargers. Trevon Coley has tallied a very impressive 3 sacks in the preseason, earning him a spot on the final roster.
Edge Rushers: Robert Quinn, Trevis Gipson, Mario Edwards, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Dominique Robinson
The Bears sack record holder, Robert Quinn, is an obvious lock for this roster. Trevis Gipson showed flashes of being a great pass rusher last season and will continue to grow this season. Mario Edwards proved to be a solid depth option for the Bears last year and will play the same role this year. Al-Quadin Muhammad barely saw the field last season but has shown to be a decent depth option in training camp and preseason. Dominique Robinson is a rookie who the Bears are very high on and he’s shown why in the preseason, making him a near lock for the final roster.
Linebackers: Roquon Smith, Nicholas Morrow, Matt Adams, Jack Sanborn, and Joe Thomas
Outside of Roquon Smith, the Bears linebacker room is thin and is looking for someone to step up. Nicholas Morrow is looking like a prime candidate for that but Matt Adams shouldn’t be counted out for that LB2 spot as the season moves along. Jack Sanborn and Joe Thomas have both shown flashes in the preseason. They both have double-digit tackles and have been the leaders of a solid second-unit defense.
Cornerbacks: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Thomas Graham, Kindle Vildor, Tavon Young, and Lamar Jackson
Jaylon Johnson doesn’t require an explanation for why he’ll make this roster. Kyler Gordon is a rookie who looks very promising playing opposite of Johnson. Thomas Graham played great snaps when he got his chance late in the season last year and will most likely end this year as a starter. Kindle Vildor had a rough season last year but he has looked good in training camp and the Bears will definitely give him another chance for that. Tavon Young and Lamar Jackson will both be very good depth pieces for the Bears as they have stood out to the coaching staff this offseason.
Safeties: Eddie Jackson, Jaquan Brisker, Deandre Houston-Carter, Dane Cruikshank, and Elijah Hicks
Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker will be the starters all season at safety. Carter has been a very good depth guy for the Bears for many years and his role is no different this year. This is where it gets tricky for the Bears’ safeties as there is still so much competition at the position. Cruikshank and Hicks stand out just a little extra than everyone else for their performance this preseason. They’ve been solid and aware in the preseason and should provide nice special teams contributions.
Special Teams: Cairo Santos, Trenton Gill, and Patrick Scales
Santos and Scales have both been very good for the Bears at kicker and long snapper as long as they’ve been in Chicago. Trenton Gill is a rookie and will pretty easily make the roster as the punter.
