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Biggest Questions and Projected Answers for Bears Roster Cutdown Day

Several specific questions face the Bears as they try to formulate a roster after Saturday's game and here are the most likely answers and outcomes.
Gene Chamberlain|
Chicago Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II has been tested extensively in preseason but will the fourth-round pick make the roster?
Chicago Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II has been tested extensively in preseason but will the fourth-round pick make the roster? | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears


Considering all of the attention given to roster cuts, there appears to be very few Bears roster positions at stake in Saturday's 5 p.m. preseason finale against Tennessee.

It's also very likely these bubble players who survive cuts will make little or no impact on their season. This is usually the case with players at the bottom of the roster or on the practice squad.

Much attention has been given to Kaden Davis because of his strong offseason and start to preseason, and the rotation of tackles is another spot where there is a decision due. The same is true at running back, where it looks more like a numbers situation than a lack of ability will dictate who they keep.

Defensively, injuries will dictate much of what happens on the defensive line or in the secondary.

After roster cuts, teams can comprise a 16-player practice squad with 10 players who have first-year or second-year status and six veterans. They can have a 17th player if its someone from the International Pathway Program. All of those players are free agents and any team in the league can sign them to a contract for their 53-man roster at any time, but can't sign them to their practice squad.

Here are the biggest roster questions facing the Bears going into Saturday's preseason game and projected outcomes.

Must a possible sixth receiver be a return man?

This is a fight between Kaden Davis, Scotty Montgomery and Ray-Ray McCloud for the sixth wide receiver spot, which may or may not even exist. A dark horse in this would be former Lions receiver Maurice Alexander. The Bears kept six last year but that's because the sixth was established punt and kick returner Devin Duvernay. This year, the punt returner figures to be Kalif Raymond and kick returner could be Zavion Thomas. Both figure to have roles with the offense as top-five receivers on game day, Raymond regularly and Thomas as a sort of gadget player until he gets more experience. If that's the case, it is possible to keep a sixth receiver who is not the starting return man, but that likely would be impacted by how badly they need the roster spot for other positions. Still, return ability would rate as huge. It would help them greatly to be good enough at kick or punt coverage, as well.

Davis is easily the most popular player in this list because of his four-catch opening preseason game and strong offseason of work, Davis has not shown up on special teams at all.

McCloud would give them the most versatility with 129 career receptions, 140 punt returns and 126 career kick returns. McCloud has been an average punt returner at 9.5 per return, so-so kick returner at 22.9 per return. Montgomery does have 15 career kick returns for a 24.7-yard average.

The call: The smart choice is McCloud because of his versatility and experience. Raymond returning punts and kicks is not a thing. He was never the best kick returner and has made only nine of them in the 2020s. Especially at 160 pounds, he is not fit for the current kick return rules. Bigger and faster works better. McCloud is 190 pounds. However, his short-range quickness allows him to be effective in punt return and has done it throughout his career. Thomas can do both and as a rookie should get chances at both simply to test his potential. However, returns can run into issues when a player must be used on offense. Having someone like McCloud available who can be the return man when needed would be desirable.


Josh Blackwell might be a key here as a defensive player who can be a kick returner. If they decide he is the alternative, then the spot could open for Davis.

It won't. The best idea is to devote the 53-man roster spot to another position and put Davis on the practice squad.

Can they keep Salvon Ahmed over Roschon Johnson?

No, but they might need to keep both.

Johnson's special teams abilities are an attraction, and his status as a second power back is critical. Especially at the season's outset, he's needed because Kyle Monangai's health status is going to be in question. Monangai isn't practicing yet after being injured on a hit by Grady Jarrett in practice. It's possible he could be out still for a few weeks.

Ahmed has speed and cutting ability like they don't get from any back except D'Andre Swift, but then again the Bears can also line up Zavion Thomas in the backfield for that type of threat. Ahmed has no special teams value. For now, Ahmed making the roster might depend on Monangai's availability. Otherwise, they had only three backs to start last year and survived.

The call: They keep Ahmed for the start of the season because his pass-catching ability might lure another team to claim him off waivers and because of Monangai's health. A few weeks into the season and it might be another story. However, running back is a position they'll look at extensively after roster cuts because there might be more all-purpose types who come available. It's easier for a back to fit quickly into the mix than many other positions because their roles are fairly simple regardless of offense.

Is Xavier Woods an easy choice as fourth safety?

It makes sense for Woods to start alongside Dillon Thieneman because of his experience. It should be better to have someone who does this running the show in back alongside a rookie. Also, Woods is a physical player and good tackler. However, Woods has played more with backups at practice as Cam Lewis has been the starter. And now Elijah Hicks is available after a shin injury and his experience is valued, too.

Woods might be the guy on the outside looking in as fourth safety if they decide they really like Skyler Thomas' potential. Thomas has the highest Pro Football Focus grade for preseason games of any defensive back who had at least 23 plays. Of any defensive player with at least 50 reps in two games, only defensive end Jamree Kromah and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg have higher defensive grades.

The call: They keep Woods and start with Thomas on the practice squad. Going into this game, Woods must be considered a bubble boy even if his experience means the Bears might be more likely to keep him for the roster. It comes down to Woods or Thomas because keeping five safeties doesn't seem possible due to requirements at other spots.

Could two mid-round Ryan Poles draft picks be cut?

It appears not only that they could, they should.

Third-rounder Kiran Amegadjie hasn't outplayed Jedrick Wills Jr. for the last tackle spot, and when Ozzy Trapilo returns it would seem likely Wills won't be on the roster, either. Also, one of the interesting sideshows to watch in the last preseason game is whether Jack Sanborn can outplay fourth-round linebacker Ruben Hyppolite. Sanborn's roster spot is not locked up and the return of rookie fifth-round pick Keyshaun Elliott means either Hyppolite or Sanborn would be the fifth linebacker. Keeping a sixth linebacker isn't something they did last year.

The call: Sanborn steps up and Hyppolite gets cut. His great speed doesn't mean much if he can't play. He has the worst PFF grade of any Bears defensive player in two games for the second-most plays. Only Dontae Manning has been on the field more than Hyppolite.

Where do injuries most impact cuts?

This is tough to judge with the lack of information on health coming from the Bears. But cornerback could be a major concern with injuries in the last practice to both Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson.

The other spot would be on the defensive line. How bad is Austin Booker hurt? It's week to week, and it's a groin injury. The Bears have been down this groin road before, haven't they?

The call: The injury wasn't severe enough to Stevenson to prevent him from returning, before he left for good. Johnson stayed on the sidelines, according to reports, and if a player has an injury of consequence they rarely stay on the sidelines. The Bears will make their normal cut to six cornerbacks and use practice squad to supplement if someone is missing a start.

As for the edge position, the availability of Marcus Davenport now might make it possible for them to get by without Austin Booker for a game or two, and they drastically need him. It shouldn't impact the roster cut, either. That, is, if Davenport actually ever does practice with the team.

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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.

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