Bears Depth Chart Entering Training Camp: Who's Starting, Who's Fighting for Their Job

While competitions for spots on the Chicago Bears' roster have been going on since May, the real evaluations for who will win starting jobs and depth spots hasn't fully kicked off.

Any NFL coach will tell you that competitions really kick off in earnest at training camp, when the pads come on.

And that time is fast approaching, as the Bears will begin training camp next week. Ahead of then, here's a look at the team's depth chart and who will be fighting for starting jobs and roster spots over the course of the next month.

Quarterback

Starter: Caleb Williams

Backups: Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum, Miller Moss (UDFA)

The only questions here are: will the Bears carry three signal-callers in a day and age when teams usually carry two?

Based on the praise head coach Ben Johnson heaped on Bagent at the combine, he's the strong favorite to be Chicago's QB2.

"I do think there's a merit to habing a strong No. 2 quarterback, which he certainly fits that bill. I'm of the mind the mindset he's probably one of the best 32 (QBs) in the NFL," Johnson said.

But Bagent is also a wild card after he was the subject of trade rumors earlier this offseason, and the Bears even admitted there was at least one team with interest. If Bagent gets traded before the start of the season, Keenum would obviously slide into the QB2 role.

When it comes to carrying a third quarterback in 2026, the two-year deal for Keenum is a strong indicator the Bears will, even if Bagent stays.

As for Moss, his only chance to stick in Chicago is on the practice squad.

Running back

Starter: D'Andre Swift

Backups: Kyle Monangai, Roschon Johnson, Brittain Brown, Coleman Bennett, Salvon Ahmed

Swift is technically the starter, but he's going to split work with Monangai this season just like he did in 2025.

Roschon Johnson offers special teams ability, which helps his cause to make the cut and he should be considered the favorite over Brown, Bennett and Ahmed to secure the RB3 role.

The Bears carried three running backs on the initial 53-man roster last year, but if they do carry a fourth this year, Brown stands as the favorite after being on the 2025 team.

However, with how strong the Bears are atop the depth chart with Swift and Monangai, it's more likely the team carries three and holds on to an extra one on the practice squad.

Wide Receiver

Starters: Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, Kalif Raymond

Backups: Jahdae Walker, Zavion Thomas, Scotty Miller, Kaden Davis, Maurice Alexander, JP Richardson, Omari Kelly (UDFA), Kyron Hudson (UDFA)

When the Bears utilize three-receiver sets, Odunze, Burden and Raymond will be their primary trio. Walker and Thomas will be involved, also, but their performances in training camp will determine exactly how much.

We're confident five receivers are locked in, with Odunze, Burden, Raymond, Walker and Thomas, but the WR6 spot, if there is one, remains up in the air.

Miller has the edge over the rest of the group because of his experience, but we wouldn't consider him a lock. Davis and Alexander are the biggest threats.

Tight end

Starter: Colston Loveland

Backups: Cole Kmet, Sam Roush, Nikola Kalinic, Stephen Carlson, Qadir Ismail, Hayden Large (UDFA)

Loveland will be the Bears' No. 1 tight end in his second season, but we're still going to be seeing plenty of Kmet with the Bears' affinity for two tight end sets.

Assuming he can lock down the TE3 job, Roush figures to be the third tight end who will accompany Loveland and Kmet in three tight-end sets.

While the Bears may very well carry three tight ends like they did on the initial 53 in 2025, Chicago could realistically carry a fourth because head coach Ben Johnson might be keen on using three tight-end sets more in 2026. A fourth tight end is also possible if Roush shows he isn't ready for the TE3 role in Chicago's offense.

Carlson and Kalinic are best positioned to benefit if Chicago carries a fourth tight end.

Offensive line

Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones (70) after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field. — Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Starters: Braxon Jones (LT), Joe Thuney (LG), Garrett Bradbury (C), Jonah Jackson (RG), Darnell Wright (RT)

Backups: Logan Jones, Luke Newman, Theo Benedet, Jedrick Wills, Kiran Amegadjie, Jordan McFadden, Kyle Hergel, Caden Barnett (UDFA), Jaren Klump (UDFA), Mason Murphy (UDFA)

Jones will compete with Bradbury for the starting center job in camp, but we're giving the edge to the veteran for now.

At left tackle, we did not include Ozzy Trapilo because he won't be ready for the start of the season due to the ruptured patellar tendon he suffered last season.

Jones enters camp as the front-runner for Trapilo's job, but guys like Amegadjie and Wills are technically still in the running. We would not consider either one locked into the 53-man roster, though.

Newman and Benedet should make the cut as useful backups on the interior and at tackle, respectively. McFadden is the favorite among the guys we haven't mentioned to make the roster, and Barnett, who offers positional versatility, is the UDFA we are keeping an eye on for an upset.

Defensive End

Starters: Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo

Backups: Austin Booker, Shemar Turner, Daniel Hardy, Jonathan Garvin, Jamree Kromah, Jeremiah Martin

Sweat is the only Bears edge rusher locked into a role right now. Odeyingbo and Booker will be the top competitors for the spot opposite Sweat. The Bears have a lot invested Odeyingbo, but Booker showed a lot of promise last season. Both are 53-man roster locks.

Hardy offers versatility with his ability to play linebacker and he has special teams value, so we expect him to make the roster, especially after inking a two-year deal this offseason.

Turner is the big wild card here. His status remains uncertain after he didn't take part in any of the offseason practices for the Bears, and Johnson didn't have a concrete answer for when he will be ready to go.

“We'll see with Shemar, this summer's going to be a big part for him," Johnson said. "We'll have a good six weeks off of see where he's at when we come back to camp."

For now, we'd anticipate him ending up on the PUP list to start camp, and if he ends up not being ready for the start of the campaign, that opens the door for someone else.

And that someone else would likely be Garvin, who has a huge advantage in experience over Kromah and Martin.

Defensive tackle

Starters: Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter

Backups: Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, Jordan van den Berg, James Lynch, Jayden Loving (UDFA)

Jarrett, Dexter and Gallimore, who was signed to a two-year deal in free agency, are roster locks for this group.

Among the rest, Street and Lynch have the most experience and that gives them an edge to make the cut, but van den Berg and Loving offer upside as uber-athletic interior defenders.

We suspect one veteran and one rookie will land the final two spots on the depth chart, but that is far from certain.

Linebacker

Starters: Devin Bush, T.J. Edwards

Backups: D'Marco Jackson, Ruben Hyppolite, Keyshaun Elliott, Tony Fields, Jon Rhattigan, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, Nephi Sewell, Wayne Matthews (UDFA)

Chicago has three roster locks here with Bush, Edwards and Jackson, who will serve as the top backup at the position. The Bears' fifth-round pick in 2026, Elliott, should make the roster.

The Bears carried five linebackers into last season, so we would suspect there will be one more spot up for grabs. It's anyone's guess who will seize it, though.

Hyppolite is no lock to make the roster after a very disappointing rookie season. Noah Sewell isn't going to be ready for the start of the season as he recovers from a torn Achilles.

Nephi Sewell, Rhattigan, Fields and Sanborn all offer special teams value and experience, which will no doubt help their cause as they battle it out with Hyppolite for the final linebacker spot.

Cornerback

Starters: Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon (nickel)

Backups: Malik Muhammad, Josh Blackwell, Jaylon Jones, Terell Smith, Dallis Flowers, KC Eziomume, Dontae Manning

We have Stevenson in a starting spot for now, but he is far from a guarantee to be there once training camp wraps up. Muhammad, who is obviously a roster lock as a fourth-round pick, and Smith will be in the mix to take the job away from him.

Chicago carried six cornerbacks into the 2025 season. We have Johnson, Gordon, Stevenson, Muhammad and Blackwell as our first five, with Blackwell getting the nod because of his special teams value.

Smith and Jones are the favorites to take the final spot, and Jones has the edge there because of his experience and versatility with being able to play on the boundary and in the slot.

Safety

Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) warms up during Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. — Chicago Bears defensive back Dillon Thieneman. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Starters: Dillon Thieneman, Coby Bryant

Backups: Cam Lewis, Elijah Hicks, Anthony Johnson Jr., Gervarrius Owens, Skyler Thomas (UDFA)

We'll see five kept here, at most, although the Bears opted for four on the initial 53 in 2025.

We can lock Thieneman, Bryant, Lewis and Hicks in. Hicks was running with the ones at some points during the offseason and Lewis can play in the slot, also.

If there is a fifth spot, it's pretty much a toss-up, although keep an eye on Thomas, who received a big UDFA contract from the Bears, which shows they like him a lot. Owens and Johnson have more experience, of course, but not an overwhelming amount.

Specialists

Chicago Bears placekicker Cairo Santos (8) celebrates with punter Tory Taylor (19) after kicking an extra point. — Chicago Bears placekicker Cairo Santos and punter Tory Taylor. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Starters: Cairo Santos (K), Tory Taylor (P)

Competition: Luke Elkin vs. Beau Gardner

The Bears are set for a thrilling (just kidding) long snapper battle at training camp between Elkin and Gardner.

Neither one has ever played a snap in the league, but Elkin was at least on a practice squad last season before the Bears inked him to a futures deal in January.

Gardner, who is a rookie, held down a starting job in each of his last three years in college.

It would not be at all surprising to see the Bears add a veteran to the mix at some point in training camp.

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