The Bears didn’t build a roster last year as much as they threw one together and hoped someone would stick.
At the beginning of a rebuild — they had no first-round picks and more dead cap space than any other team — the Bears hunted for value, on the cheap, to bolster one of the league’s worst rosters. Their big wide receiver additions were Byron Pringle and N’Keal Harry, who are both, a year later, out of football. After cut day, the Bears claimed a league-high six players, taking flyers on other teams’ castoffs whom they believed to be better than their own.
This year is different. There’s actual competition across the roster — albeit still not enough.
In 2023, the Bears actually have a NFL-quality receivers room. They spent almost $58 million in guaranteed salary on two linebackers to try to turn around a defense that gave up the most points in the NFL. They’ve shuffled four of their five starting offensive line spots.
So who makes the team? With training camp about to start — veterans report Tuesday, with rookies and quarterbacks showing up a few days earlier, on Saturday — here’s the Sun-Times’ 53-man roster projection:
OFFENSE (25 keepers out of 45 players)
Quarterbacks (2/4)
They’re keeping: Justin Fields, P.J. Walker
On the bubble: Nathan Peterman, Tyson Bagent
What to watch in camp: Fields’ consistency — or lack thereof. Fans scarred by Mitch Trubisky are cautioned not to live and die with every backfield incompletion. Still, Fields needs to show progress — if not day-to-day, then week-to-week — if he’s going to prove to the Bears that he’s got half as much passing acumen as he does athleticism. He’s up for a contract extension next offseason — when the Bears have two first-round picks. Nothing is more important this season than figuring out if Fields is the guy.
Position battle: Peterman vs. a new league rule. The NFL approved a rule allowing teams to keep an emergency third quarterback that doesn’t count against their game day roster — but he can’t be on the practice squad. Is that enough to land Peterman a 53-man roster spot?
Running backs (5/7)
They’re keeping: Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, FB Khari Blasingame
On the bubble: Trestan Ebner, FB Robert Burns
What to watch in camp: Herbert and Johnson — after the pads come on. Both must prove they have the pass-blocking acumen to protect Fields from getting hurt and turning the season into a full-on calamity. Herbert spent the offseason boxing to improve the heft of his blocking punch, while Johnson needs to overcome the most common deficiency in rookie running backs.
Position battle: Herbert led all running backs in yards per carry last season. From Week 8 on, only four had more rushing yards than Foreman — and they were all Pro Bowl players. Despite all that, Bears coaches and scouts don’t discount Johnson’s chances to play more than either of his teammates.
Wide receivers (7/12)
They’re keeping: DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tyler Scott, Dante Pettis, Velus Jones Jr.
On the bubble: Nsimba Webster, Joe Reed, Thyrick Pitts, Daurice Fountain, Aron Cruickshank
What to watch in camp: Mooney’s left ankle. The Bears expect him to be ready for camp after having screws inserted following a grisly injury against the Jets. Mooney becoming a reliable target for Fields is critical after Claypool proved to be anything but in a midseason audition.
Position battle: Jones will have to earn his spot after the Bears traded drafted Scott. He’ll have to return both punts and kicks – and hold onto the ball after fumbling three times last year.
Tight ends (3/5)
They’re keeping: Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan, Jake Tonges
On the bubble: Stephen Carlson, Chase Allen
What to watch in camp: Kmet’s contract, which expires after 2023. The Jaguars’ Evan Engram recently signed a three-year deal worth $25 million guaranteed over the first two seasons; that’s a good target for a Kmet extension before Week 1.
Position battle: Who will lead the room in receiving? Kmet and Tonyan have posted similar stat lines the past three seasons. Kmet has 138 catches for 1,399 yards and nine touchdowns, while the former Packer has 123 catches for 1,260 and 15.
Offensive line (8/17)
They’re keeping: LT Braxton Jones, LG Teven Jenkins, C Cody Whitehair, RG Nate Davis, RT Darnell Wright, Larry Borom, Ja’Tyre Carter, Lucas Patrick
On the bubble: Dieter Eiselen, Kellen Diesch, Robert Haskins, Gabriel Houy, Doug Kramer, Alex Leatherwood, Josh Lugg, Roy Mbaeteka (who, as a member of the NFL International Pathway Program, doesn’t count against the 90-man roster limit), Lorenz Metz
What to watch in camp: One Bears official called Jenkins one of the most polarizing players in the NFL among talent evaluators. After flirting with the idea of trading him, the Bears put him at right guard in August — and it proved successful. Now he’s playing another new position — the Davis signing pivots him to left guard.
Position battle: Wright vs. expectations. The Bears turned the No. 1 pick into Moore, draft picks and the rookie right tackle. If he flops and the Panthers quarterback Bryce Young thrives, a generation of Bears fans will rue the trade.
DEFENSE (25/41)
Defensive line (8/15)
They’re keeping: Justin Jones, Andrew Billings, DeMarcus Walker, Dominique Robinson, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Trevis Gipson, Rasheem Green
On the bubble: Travis Bell, Andrew Brown, Jalen Harris, Jalyn Holmes, Donovan Jeter, D’Anthony Jones, Terrell Lewis
What to watch in camp: Someone not listed above. The Bears are desperate to sign an edge rusher before the start of the season — and maybe before the start of camp. Yannick Ngakoue makes the most sense among the for-hire remainders.
Position battle: Dexter and Pickens flashed in June, but they have a long way to go. The Bears spent part of the offseason just making sure that Dexter, a second-round pick, was in the proper stance.
Linebackers (6/9)
They’re keeping: Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Dylan Cole, Noah Sewell, Sterling Weatherford
On the bubble: DeMarquis Gates, Micah Baskerville, Kuohy Deng
What to watch in camp: Can Edmunds take the ball away? The Bears traded Smith because of his lack of ball production — and then signed Edmunds, who has less. They’re putting him in the middle of the defense, hoping his height and arm length will disrupt passing lanes.
Position battle: Sewell impressed during mini-camp but would need a strong August to pass Sanborn on the strong side.
Cornerbacks (7/9)
They’re keeping: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, Josh Blackwell, Jaylon Jones, Terrell Smith, Kindle Vildor
On the bubble: Greg Stroman Jr., Michael Ojemudia
What to watch in camp: A contract extension for Johnson would cement him as the anchor of cornerbacks room whose starters are all 24 or younger. A good blueprint could be the deal the 49ers gave Charvarius Ward last year: three years with $27.5 million guaranteed over the first two seasons.
Position battle: The Bears installed Stevenson as a starting outside cornerback not long after taking him in Round 2. Him holding down that spot would allow Gordon to play in the slot, his best position.
Safeties (4/8)
They’re keeping: Eddie Jackson, Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks, Kendall Williamson
On the bubble: A.J. Thomas, Adrian Colbert, Macon Clark, Bralen Trahan
What to watch in camp: Jackson’s left foot. He was leading all safeties in Pro Bowl voting before a Lisfranc injury ended a resurgent season. Jackson was lucky to avoid surgery and return in time for mandatory minicamp. Now he needs to show he hasn’t slowed down.
Position battle: The Bears’ backups are seventh-round picks from the last two years and could be replaced via the waiver wire on cut day; the Bears have the first waiver selection.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3/5)
They’re keeping: K Cairo Santos, P Trenton Gill, LS Patrick Scales
On the bubble: K Andre Szmyt, P Ryan Anderson
What to watch in camp: The Bears have pushed back on any idea Santos’ job is in jeopardy — special teams coordinator Richard Hightower called him a “top-five kicker.”
Position battle: Anderson will give Bears’ returners a different look with left-footed punts.
