As training camp approaches, the Bears don’t look like a team headed for a roster earthquake. The big picture feels fairly settled. There are still real battles to sort through - left tackle, the wide receiver depth chart, and whether this group can manufacture enough pass rush - but the final 53, at least on paper, doesn’t appear ready to deliver many shocks.
Still, a few decisions could get interesting once Ben Johnson and Ryan Poles start trimming things down.
Here’s a projection of how Chicago’s roster could look before camp gets rolling.
At quarterback, the group stays straightforward: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum. In the backfield, D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai make the cut, with the notable twist coming at running back: the Bears are projected to keep only two.
That’s the bold call here, and it comes with a clear read on Roschon Johnson. The coaching staff already showed where it stood last season, when Johnson was healthy but logged just two carries all year.
The feeling is that the third back isn’t currently on the roster. If that holds, Chicago could look outside the building - maybe even to Ben Johnson’s old friend, Craig Reynolds, who remains a free agent - or wait for cuts around the league and find a back that fits.
The receiver room would be busy. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III are in, along with Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker, Zavion Thomas and Scotty Miller. Tight end would feature Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Sam Roush and Stephen Carlson.
Up front, the offensive line would include Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson, Darnell Wright, Theo Benedet, Logan Jones, Luke Newman and Jordan McFadden.
On defense, the line projection runs deep: Montez Sweat, Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Neville Gallimore, Jordan van den Berg, Shemar Turner and Kentavius Street. Linebacker spots go to T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D’Marco Jackson, Keyshaun Elliott, Ruben Hyppolite, Noah Sewell and Jack Sanborn.
The secondary would include Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Malik Muhammad, Josh Blackwell and Terell Smith at corner, with Coby Bryant, Dillon Thienieman, Cam Lewis and Elijah Hicks at safety. Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor and Luke Elkin round out the specialists.
A few names sit on the edge of the roster picture. Jack Sanborn, Stephen Carlson and Kentavius Street are the ones most likely to feel the squeeze as the Bears make room for a third running back and later for Ozzy Trapilo when he returns from injured reserve.
Sanborn survives in this projection as the last linebacker in, but he could be among the first moved out once roster spots need to be opened. Carlson is another possibility, especially with the Bears potentially wanting to carry four tight ends if the position trend around the league pushes them that way. Street also looks vulnerable, particularly with the team likely preferring Gallimore over him; the one-year deal didn’t carry major money, which makes him easier to treat as a fringe piece.
And before camp even starts, there’s one more spot worth watching: long snapper.
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