Bear Digest

Final Chicago Bears 53-man roster projection has limited tough calls

Most of the Bears roster has been fairly apparent but Friday night's performance could have won a job for one or two players. Here's a last attempt to call who makes it.
Gene Chamberlain|
Both Ben Johnson and Andy Reid will go about the annual rites of roster cutdown in the next few days.
Both Ben Johnson and Andy Reid will go about the annual rites of roster cutdown in the next few days. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The tough calls are coming for Ben Johnson.

He lauded the plays made by both Jahdae Walker and Daniel Hardy in the second half of Friday's 29-27 win over Kansas City, but the Bears coach is working with very few available roster spots and it's not always easy to reward standout play against second- and third-string opposition when cutdown time comes.

The Bears have until Tuesday to make their final cuts from 90 to 53 but they'll get started with their analysis and discussion right away because they have two off days before they next go on the practice field.

"We will take a look here at the tape," Johnson said. "It is tough when you are in there the last time in the room with a 90-man roster. You know what is coming right around the corner here. We will have some tough decisions to make.”

Quarterback (3)

Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum

There really is no good argument for cutting Case Keenum loose after the Bears went through last year with a lack of experience in the quarterback room. If they were to do it, and put him on the practice squad, it would have had to have been pre-arranged and it doesn't seem likely. This is more of a warning. Williams' immaturity as a leader makes keeping the extra baby sitter a necessity. But don't rule out the Bears putting Keenum on IR after he didn't play Friday and wasn't practicing earlier in the week. That would save a roster spot for someone, maybe a D-lineman.

Running Back (4)

D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Kyle Monangai, Travis Homer

They have seen very good running in tough situations from Brittain Brown the last two preseason games and in practices. What they haven't seen is overall good special teams play, and they attach too much significance to Homer's special teams abilities to let him go. The league won't come around trying to steal Ian Wheeler or Brown off a practice squad when there appears to be a big surplus of backs available across the league with proven credentials.

Tight End (3)

Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland, Durham Smythe

Joel Wilson seems like a keeper but the roster doesn't have enough places on it for a fourth tight end keeper. So they'll have to hope they can retain him with the practice squad. Last year they kept losing the fourth tight end to either injuries or to other teams pilfering them off the practice squad. They'll just have to risk it with Wilson.

Wide Receiver (6)

DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus, Luther Burden III, Jadhae Walker, Devin Duvernay

Walker has done too much to be cut. He makes tough, even impossible catches. He was gutsy in practices with the Bills and Dolphins on special teams coverage, even if he does lack experience there. It's entirely possible they keep Devin Duvernay and cut Walker, but they'd be getting rid of a possible all-around contributor for the future to keep a player who hasn't show anything in preseason games and really hasn't done much in practices in the last half of camp. However, Duvernay has well-known return ability and they didn't see this from anyone else on the roster in preseason, either.

Offensive Line (10)

C Drew Dalman, G Jonah Jackson, G Joe Thuney, T Braxton Jones, T Darnell Wright, T Ozzy Trapilo, T Theo Benedet, C/G Ryan Bates, C/G Luke Newman, T/G Kiran Amegadjie

Luke Newman's play with starters while Joe Thuney was allowd to rest confirmed the rookie was better than the average sixth-round pick. In fact, if they had an indication he had the center position down now, they could simply cut or trade Ryan Bates. However, he didn't progress this far at center in practices and they need Bates. Maybe no decision is tougher than keeping or cutting Amegadjie. He hasn't had a fair shake. He's been around for one season, one preseason and one offseason even though it's his second season. For this reason, Ryan Poles will not want to give up on a third-round pick. That and those 36-inch arms.

Defensive Line (9)

DT Gervon Dexter, Andrew Billings, Grady Jarrett, Chris Williams, Shemar Turner

DE Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, Dominique Robinson, Austin Booker

Shemar Turner gets a pass as a second-rounder even though he has shown nothing in his first training camp due to injury. Tonah Kpassagnon has not outplayed Daniel Hardy, and Hardy has great special teams value along with versatility. They trained him as a linebacker besides being an edge. Cutting Kpassagnon will be a problem for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, but big defensive ends who do not produce sacks can be found anywhere. Putting him on the practice squad would be a solution because other teams won't come looking to sign him. But they won't be able to keep Hardy either, in the end, unless they cut another offensive lineman like Amegadjie. Who's more likely to be stolen off a practice squad? A young, unproven, third-round tackle with 36-inch arms or two journeymen defensive linemen who haven't really produced much anywhere? Bottom line here is the Bears can get by with nine defensive linemen because they can always activate Hardy or Kpassagnon from the practice squad for that week's game and because their big defensive ends allow them versatility in-game.

Linebackers (5)

TJ Edwards, Terrell Edmunds, Noah Sewell, Ruben Hyppolite II, Amen Ogbongbemiga

The time when teams keep a sixth linebacker are over for now. Playing nickel and dime coverage is the emphasis. The Bears benefit depth-wise by the fact they let Hardy learn strong side linebacker in addition to edge rusher. That and the need for roster spots might even cause them to cut Ogbongbemiga or put him on IR.

Secondary (10)

CB Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Josh Blackwell, Nahshon Wright, Nick McCloud

S Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Jonathan Owens, Elijah Hicks

Terell Smith's season-ending injury benefited McCloud, who can play both slot defender or outside. Gordon didn't play in Friday's game but is well enough along in his rehab from injury that he took the field in warmups. Hicks hasn't done anything for weeks due to injury and a safety off waivers might be a better option, at least initially.

Specialists (3)

K Cairo Santos, P Tory Taylor, LS Scott Daly

Santos finished preseason with a terrible performance. Perhaps he got this out of his system for the regular season. He never misses from the 40-49 range and doinked one, then had an extra point blocked. The operation on that extra point took far too long, whether it was a snap or Santos waiting too long to kick it. The hold seemed fine. The blocking wasn't great and the left side collapsed, but they can't hold off the rushers forever.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.