The draft is over, so it’s time to officially look at who’s going to be on this roster when they take the field in week one.
The 2024 Chicago Bears season is the most anticipated season since at least 2019, if not even longer.
Unfortunately, that 2019 season ended in disappointment, but hope certainly springs eternal this year for the new-look Chicago Bears, led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
It may just be the first week of May, but it’s never too early to take a look at who will be taking the field in week one in September.
Quarterbacks (3) – Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Brett Rypien
It was pretty fun to type Caleb Williams’ name there, I’m not going to lie. Bagent will keep his QB2 role, and based on the idea that the Bears took advantage of the new QB3 rule for most of the season last year, I would expect them to do the same this year, and Brett Rypien does indeed make the 53 instead of the practice squad.
Running Backs (4) – D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer
Homer could be a casualty because his guaranteed money this season is close to zero but he still contributes on special teams and until they know if they have enough talent on Teams, they certainly aren’t going risk losing a quality Teamer like Homer. The other three are obvious locks.
Fullback (1) – Khari Blasingame
Shane Waldron isn’t one for using fullbacks but in this case, based on the Bears’ lack of options at tight end beyond Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, I think Waldron may adapt his scheme and keep Blasingame for this season. There should be no surprise here if Blasingame does get released before the season based on Waldron’s past tendencies.
Wide Receivers (6) – DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott, Dante Pettis, Velus Jones
I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some kind of movement here at the bottom of this position group. But the way this group stands now, Pettis is really the only player on the roster who can handle punt returns. While Velus certainly is no lock to make this roster, he provides value on kick returns. Until the league has a better understanding of how to take advantage of these new rules, Jones probably keeps a spot on the roster.
Tight Ends (3) – Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, Marcedes Lewis
I don’t think Stephen Carlson makes the 53-man roster and if that’s the case, the Bears don’t have their third tight end, who would be an in-line player that can handle blocking duties. Lewis is still a free agent and you have to wonder if the Bears would want him back in the same role. Waldron doesn’t like telegraphing plays, and Lewis does do that when he’s on the field (it’s almost always a run), but with limited options, this might be the smart move for this group.
Offensive Line (8) – Darnell Wright, Nate Davis, Ryan Bates, Teven Jenkins, Braxton Jones, Coleman Shelton, Matt Pryor, Kiran Amegadjie
I think Ryan Bates will start at center and move to guard if Davis or Jenkins are injured and Shelton will move into the starting five at center. I think Pryor will be the main swing tackle this year and Amegadjie will rarely see the field and have a redshirt year to develop.
Special Teams (3) – Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor, Patrick Scales
Crocodile Punter or The Punter from Down Under? What’s your preference? I’m partial to Crocodile Punter.
Safety (4) – Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard, Jonathan Owens, Quindell Johnson
The top three are no-brainers. I think Johnson is the better talent over Elijah Hicks. Johnson is more of a strong safety type, but Owens can play either position so they have the flexibility they need behind Brisker and Byard.
Cornerback (6) – Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Terell Smith, Jaylon Jones, Josh Blackwell
Barring any surprises, this group appears to be pretty straightforward. Greg Stroman could push for a spot, but as a 28-year-old, he should safely slide to the practice squad.
Linebacker (5) – Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, Amen Ogbongbemiga
I really wanted to keep Micah Baskerville here, but I just think his lack of ability on special teams will do him in and he will return to the practice squad. The top four are pretty obvious here and Ogbongbemiga is here for special teams (think 2023 Dylan Cole).
Defensive End (5) – Montez Sweat, Yannick Ngakoue, DeMarcus Walker, Austin Booker, Khalid Kareem
He’s baaaack! I think the Bears sign an additional veteran here and I think Ngakoue makes too much sense. He didn’t have a great 2023 season in Chicago, but he knows the Matt Eberflus’ system and it’s not like there are veterans available who were wildly productive in 2023. The bottom of this group is weak. The Bears might want to see if Dominique Robinson is still worth a roster spot, but after his struggles last year, it just doesn’t make sense to burn a spot on the 53 for him.
Defensive Tackle (5) – Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Michael Dwumfour, Keith Randolph
We have a UDFA! This group is probably even weaker than the defensive end group, and that’s saying something. With Walker’s ability to bump inside, they could easily keep four defensive tackles here, but I’ll go with five right now, including UDFA Keith Randolph, who I think has the best chance of this UDFA group to make the 53-man roster.
Practice Squad (16) – QB Austin Reed, RB Ian Wheeler, TE Stephen Carlson, G Ja’Tyre Carter, C Doug Kramer, T Jake Curhan, WR Nsimba Webster, WR Collin Johnson, S Elijah Hicks, CB Greg Stroman, CB Reddy Steward, LB Micah Baskerville, LB Carl Jones, DE Jacob Martin, DL Jamree Kromah, DT Byron Cowart
I will be honest, I didn’t break down everybody’s service time in the NFL or whether this is a legal practice squad, but this is a good mix of veterans, UDFAs, and some holdovers from last season.