Plenty of Bears Rate on the Roster's Edge

Cutdown day looms just after Saturday's final Bears preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.

The bubble has built throughout training camp and is filled with players who could go either way. It could pop on them or they could wind up on the preferred list, the 53-man roster.

They already started trimming down this week by waiving safety Adrian Colbert and extra tight end Jared Pinkney. It's only the beginning.

Here are the Bears who could use a good final game if they are among those playing, because they project to be in the bubble hoping to hang onto a roster spot by the Tuesday 3 p.m. deadline for cuts.

CB Kindle Vildor

Too often in practices Vildor is in position to make a play but doesn't get it made. His athletic ability is still apparent but it's that instant when the ball is arriving where he needs to improve. He has been more consistent in camp and Pro Football Focus has him with the second-best pass coverage grade for all Bears in preseason at 80.1 for 36 pass plays. He has an excellent 79.1 passer rating against when targeted in preseason. Vildor has made a few practice interceptions but they need to see it from him in a game. It could prevent what has seemed an imminent departure at a position where there are plenty of bubble boys.

CB Jaylon Jones

The surprise undrafted free agent got beat by Colts wide receiver James Washington deep in Saturday's game and Washington had been with Indy only a few days. Jones has struggled in two preseason games overall, with the worst PFF grade in coverage of all cornerbacks on the roster (43.7) for 36 pass coverage plays. He also has a 106.9 passer rating against when targeted in preseason via PFF.

FANNATION'S FANTASY BREAKOUT PLAYERS FOR 2023 FOR EACH TEAM

CB Michael Ojemudia

The veteran reserve seems to have shown up better in two preseason games than in practices. PFF gives him the third-best coverage grade for all Bears cornerbacks at 74.1 for a healthy 42 plays. Ojemudia is a player who has started 12 times in his Denver Broncos career and they could do much worst than to keep him based on his experience of 26 games played.

CB Greg Stroman Jr.

Stroman hasn't been as effective in preseason as he was last year or as he was in the regular-season finale after he'd been cut, before returning to the team. He has a 104.2 passer rating against in preseason. However, he has allowed only 9.0 yards per catch when he did allow a reception. The other thing about Stroman is while he hasn't had the same performance in preseason games as last year, he has been around the ball in practices and gets his share of interceptions, including one this week.

S A.J. Thomas

Until recently, it appeared the Bears weren't as happy with the play of seventh-round safety Kendall Williamson but he stepped up last week both in coverage and special teams and has earned some praise for his play. As a result, it's on Thomas to make some big plays of his own or be in the precarious position of fifth safety when they might be forced to go with four on the roster.

LB Micah Baskerville

The undersized middle linebacker from LSU had a very good PFF pass coverage grade of 70.4 despite being around 6 feet tall or shorter. He has also has had a large sample size with 55 pass coverage plays.

"He's always around the ball," linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said. "And he's got really good coverage instincts. You could see in the Indianapolis game, he almost got the pick on the in-cut."

LB Davion Taylor

Linebacker signed last week after being waived and has had only eight plays in preseason with the Bears. So he could use a strong showing. His extensive experience in Philadelphia will give him an edge over a few others but if he struggles and another steps forward they would be more likely to look away from him.

LB Barrington Wade

He has shown up well in pass coverage with an 86.8 passer rating against, including one big pass defense against the Titans. DeMarquis Gates might be the one in position to make this roster if he had been healthy, but he hasn't been for a few weeks now and this has left the door wide open to Wade, Taylor and a few others.

LB Dylan Cole

He shouldn't be on this list but has been on the sideline with various injuries for virtually all of training camp. The Bears need his depth and special teams skills but can't afford to waste a roster spot on someone who is going to be injured as much as he has been. An IR candidate?

DE Trevis Gipson

Gipson has been one of the better defensive line players in preseason with a sack, three quarterback hits and eight tackles. However, he has been in position for a few other sacks without getting them.

"He's getting great disruption, he's getting great quarterback pressure, but can he finish?" defensive line coach Travis Smith said. "It's about, hey, No. 1 getting him off the spot, getting to the quarterback, seeing the run, not the routes, but then two, when you get to that spot, can you close?"

DE Terrell Lewis

The big plays, three sacks and two strip-sacks, could have put Lewis close to roster lock status. Nothing is certain yet. A poor third game might reverse the trend. A few plays against the run might help Lewis lock it up.

DE Dominique Robinson

Is he safe? He hasn't made plays the way Gipson or Lewis have. It would be difficult or impossible to keep all three players between Gipson, Robinson and Lewis. At least one might need to go. Robinson is viewed by many as a project and would they actually cut a fifth-round pick of Ryan Poles who might be a project?

"I wouldn't say a project," Smith said. "He's still developing as a rush man but he's taking huge strides from where he was last year when we first drafted him, to how he finished the year to now, where he is in the rotation."

DT Bravvion Roy

The veteran was signed in case the three drafted defensive tackles failed to show they can back up nose tackle Andrew Billings and three technique Justin Jones. They have shown they can do it, and Roy's spot seems precarious.

WR Dante Pettis

He's missing practices again after spending the first two weeks of camp on the non-football injury list. He could be a candidate for IR or even waived injured. This will mean letting either Velus Jones Jr. or Tyler Scott handle punt returns.

G/T Alex Leatherwood

His blocking grades for PFF come out about like they always have, good as a run blocker (74.7) and poor as a pass blocker (58.7). He had 37 pass plays so far in preseason and some plays last season when he got in games. The Bears have a pretty fair grasp of what Alex Leatherwood is all about.

C Doug Kramer

Right now Kramer is actually the starter at center in practice, but retaining a third center on the roster seems unlikely unless they can also play guard. So far they haven't lined Kramer up at guard for reps.

RB Trestan Ebner

His injury late in preseason either could mean failing to make the roster or IR. Ebner hasn't looked bad at all in practices but when preseason started things went south, as did his health.

QB Nathan Peterman

Can they afford to keep two veteran backups in Peterman and P.J. Walker when they appear to have a rising third QB who is a rookie? Peterman provided some system knowledge for everyone in the QB room but by now they all should be well versed on the offense.

QB Tyson Bagent

Keeping him on the roster might take up a roster spot needed elsewhere. There's also no guarantee they would even want to keep a third QB on the roster. But could they afford to put him on the practice squad? Some other team could come after him.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven