Picking the Bears’ 53-man roster — and ranking each position group
Bears quarterback Justin Fields and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson leave the field Saturday.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ranking the Bears’ position groups — and predicting every member of the 53-man roster — as the team prepares to whittle its roster down by the Tuesday deadline:
1. Safety (3 keepers)
They’ll make the team: Eddie Jackson, Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks
Closing argument: Rookie Kendall Williamson played 52% of Saturday’s special teams snaps, forcing a fumble on punt coverage.
The big question: Will Jackson and Brisker miss a beat? The two are hurt but expected to return by Week 1. Brisker didn’t play a single exhibition snap, while Jackson played 12, all in the first game.
Why they’re ranked here: Jackson was leading all NFC safeties in Pro Bowl voting when he suffered a Lisfranc injury in November, and Brisker, who led the Bears in sacks last year, is among their best young players.
2. Linebacker (6)
They’ll make the team: Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, Dylan Cole, Mykal Walker
Closing argument: Sewell hurting his left leg Saturday might have opened the door for Walker, who had 107 tackles for the Falcons last year. He played 10 more special teams snaps Saturday than rookie Micah Baskerville.
The big question: Will Edmunds be comfortable when the season starts? He played only six preseason snaps after missing practices for most of the month.
Why they’re ranked here: The Bears spent $91.5 million overall — and $67.9 million guaranteed — on Edmunds and Edwards this offseason.
3. Running back (5)
They’ll make the team: Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, FB Khari Blasingame
Closing argument: Herbert started and had seven carries Saturday, while Foreman had eight and appeared to hurt the left side of his upper body. Johnson had 28 preseason carries, tied for eighth-most in the NFL.
The big question: Is Herbert the clear No. 1? The Bears will split carries but Herbert was treated like the starter, getting a quick hook in two preseason games and skipping a third.
Why they’re ranked here: Last year, Herbert led all running backs in yards per carry. Only four running backs had more rushing yards than Foreman the last 10 games.
4. Cornerbacks (6)
They’ll make the team: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, Josh Blackwell, Terell Smith, Jaylon Jones
Closing argument: Stevenson played 42 snaps Saturday, the most of any cornerback, was flagged twice and picked off a pass.
The big question: Will Johnson get paid? The Bears are talking to his new agent about a contract extension. The deadline is typically the season opener.
Why they’re ranked here: The three starters are solid and will get better; they’re all 24 or younger.
5. Tight end (3)
They’ll make the team: Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis
Closing argument: Lewis made his Bears debut Saturday, playing four snaps after spending most of this month building up for his 18th season.
The big question: Who gets the red-zone targets? Kmet had only two touchdown catches in his first 40 games before posting seven in his last 10. Tonyan, to the contrary, has 15 scores in his last 31.
Why they’re ranked here: All three are proven veterans.
6. Wide receiver (6)
They’ll make the team: DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones
Closing argument: The Bears seemed to cement their roster on Friday when they put Dante Pettis on injured reserve, ending his season. Claypool hasn’t practiced since hurting his hamstring Aug. 9, and Jones has been out since getting hurt during the first Colts joint practice Aug. 16. The Bears expect both back soon.
The big question: Is Jones the punt returner? He was one of the best kick returners in the NFL last season but fumbled two punts last year and one this preseason. Scott could get the first crack.
Why they’re ranked here: Moore is the Bears’ best player, but we need to see whether Mooney’s recovery from a grisly ankle injury translates into production and if Claypool proves to be reliable before being too optimistic.
7. Specialists (3)
They’ll make the team: K Cairo Santos, P Trenton Gill, LS Patrick Scales
Closing argument: They’ve been unopposed since the team waived kicker Andre Szmyt on Aug. 8.
The big question: Will extra points be a problem again? Santos missed five of his 32 last year — but only two field goals.
Why they’re ranked here: Santos is statistically the greatest Bears kicker ever, making 89.7% of his field goals with the team.
8. Quarterback (3)
They’ll make the team: Justin Fields, P.J. Walker, Tyson Bagent
Closing argument: Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has played Bagent — the undrafted rookie from Division II Shepherd University — before Walker, who’s owed $2 million guaranteed on a two-year, $4 million deal. Walker knows he’s had a bad camp — “I ain’t a fool, I can read the room,” he said — but his experience should land him a spot.
The big question: Who’s the second-stringer? Perhaps the veteran Walker makes sense if he’s needed mid-game and Bagent is a better fill-in starter with a week to prepare.
Why they’re ranked here: Fields is a thrill-a-minute rusher who needs to become a more competent passer this season. Walker has been awful. Bagent is unproven.
9. Offensive line (9)
They’ll make the team: LT Braxton Jones, LG Teven Jenkins, C Cody Whitehair, RG Nate Davis, RT Darnell Wright, G Ja’Tyre Carter, C/G Lucas Patrick, T Larry Borom, G Alex Leatherwood
Closing argument: Center Doug Kramer hurt his right hand Saturday and left in a cast. Three starters sat out. Jenkins is in a walking boot and could miss Week 1. Wright has a right ankle injury and Davis has barely practiced, but Eberflus expects both to be ready for Week 1.
The big question: Will they seek outside help? The Bears have the first waiver priority and could add depth at swing tackle or inside — or both.
Why they’re ranked here: They’ve had too many injuries.
10. Defensive line (9)
They’ll make the team: Yannick Ngakoue, Andrew Billings, Justin Jones, DeMarcus Walker, Dominique Robinson, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Rasheem Green, Terrell Lewis
Closing argument: Trevis Gipson had a strip-sack Saturday — after requesting a trade. It’s unclear which teams, if any, would trade a late-round pick for someone two years removed from a seven-sack season.
The big question: Did they fix the pass rush? After finishing last in sacks, they added Ngakoue and Walker, who combined for 16 ½ sacks last year.
Why they’re ranked here: Even if Ngakoue and Walker repeat last year’s stats, the Bears still might not have enough.