The Chicago Bears kick off training camp this week at Halas Hall, which marks the end of a long offseason and the unofficial start to the 2023 NFL season.
And it’s certainly been an eventful offseason for Chicago, where general manager Ryan Poles overhauled the roster with some big additions, including wide receiver DJ Moore, linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards and offensive linemen Nate Davis and Darnell Wright.
While the Bears operated under the “it’s a rep chart, not a depth chart” during the offseason program, the depth chart becomes more significant now that camp has arrived.
With that in mind, we’re taking a crack at predicting what the depth chart looks like at the start of training camp:
Quarterback
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| QB | Justin Fields | PJ Walker | Nathan Peterman | Tyson Bagent |
Fields is entering a pivotal third season with the Bears, where the expectation is he takes a step forward in the passing game. The team signed Walker to serve as Fields’ backup and released Trevor Siemian shortly after. Peterman and Bagent will compete for the third spot.
Running back
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| RB | Khalil Herbert | D’Onta Foreman | Roschon Johnson | Travis Homer, Trestan Ebner |
| FB | Khari Blasingame | Robert Burns |
The Bears overhauled the running back room after David Montgomery exited in free agency. They signed Foreman and Homer in free agency and drafted Johnson in the fourth round, and Johnson should challenge for reps with Herbert and Foreman.
Wide receiver
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| WR | DJ Moore | Tyler Scott | Dante Pettis | Joe Reed |
| WR | Darnell Mooney | Equanimeous St. Brown | Nsimba Webster | Aron Cruickshank |
| WR | Chase Claypool | Velus Jones Jr. | Daurice Fountain | Thyrick Pitts, Isaiah Ford |
The Bears upgraded their wide receiver group with the addition of Moore, who was part of the trade for the No. 1 pick with the Panthers. Now, Chicago’s top wideouts include Moore, Mooney and Claypool, as well as Jones and St. Brown. In the fourth round of the draft, they selected Scott, a speedster who should be a vertical threat.
Tight end
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| TE | Cole Kmet | Robert Tonyan | Jake Tonges | Chase Allen, Stephen Carlson |
Kmet is coming off a career year with the Bears, where he was a big part of the passing game. Chicago signed Tonyan to a one-year deal in free agency, where he’ll serve as a nice complement to Kmet. Tonyan is more of a receiver than a blocker, and he should factor into the red zone approach.
Offensive line
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| LT | Braxton Jones | Larry Borom | Kellen Diesch | Roy Mbaeteka, Josh Lugg |
| LG | Teven Jenkins | Lucas Patrick | Dieter Eiselen | |
| C | Cody Whitehair | Lucas Patrick | Doug Kramer | |
| RG | Nate Davis | Lucas Patrick | Ja’Tyre Carter | Gabriel Houy |
| RT | Darnell Wright | Alex Leatherwood | Robert Haskins | Aviante Collins |
The starting offensive line is set following the additions of rookie Wright and free-agent addition Davis to shore up the right side of the line. Jones is entering his second season at left tackle, Jenkins is shifting to left guard and Whitehair moves to center.
Edge rusher
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| DE | DeMarcus Walker | Rasheem Green | Terrell Lewis | Jalen Harris |
| DE | Trevis Gipson | Dominique Robinson | Jalyn Holmes | D’Anthony Jones |
The Bears still have some work to do at edge rusher, but the group is headlined by Walker, Gipson, Green and Robinson. Chicago could add another veteran to the mix during training camp.
Defensive line
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| DT | Justin Jones | Zacch Pickens | Andrew Brown | Donovan Jeter |
| DT | Andrew Billings | Gervon Dexter | Travis Bell |
The Bears upgraded the interior of the defensive line with the additions of Billings, as well as drafted Dexter and Pickens, who will be key rotational pieces with Jones and Billings.
Linebacker
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| WLB | T.J. Edwards | DeMarquis Gates | Buddy Johnson | |
| MLB | Tremaine Edmunds | Noah Sewell | Micah Baskerville | |
| SLB | Jack Sanborn | Dylan Cole | Kuony Deng |
The Bears overhauled the linebacker position and free agency, and the team’s starting linebackers are set with Edwards, Edmunds and Sanborn. But the team landed a potential steal in Sewell, who will be key depth and a special teams contributor.
Cornerback
| First team | Second team | Third team | |
| CB | Jaylon Johnson | Terell Smith | Jaylon Jones |
| NCB | Kyler Gordon | Josh Blackwell | |
| CB | Tyrique Stevenson | Kindle Vildor | Greg Stroman Jr., Michael Ojemudia |
The Bears found a quality third cornerback in Stevenson, who they traded up for in the second round of the draft. He’ll join Johnson and Gordon in the defensive backfield. Smith, a fifth-round selection, should serve as key depth behind Johnson.
Safety
| First team | Second team | Third team | Other | |
| FS | Eddie Jackson | Elijah Hicks | Adrian Colbert | Macon Clark |
| SS | Jaquan Brisker | Kendall Williamson | A.J. Thomas | Bralen Trahan |
There’s no doubt that Jackson and Brisker will lead a strong safety group for Chicago. With the departure of DeAndre Houston-Carson, that should mean an increased role for Hicks in his second season. The Bears also drafted Williamson late in the seventh round.
Specialists
| First team | Second team | |
| K | Cairo Santos | Andre Szmyt |
| P | Trenton Gill | |
| LS | Patrick Scales |
The Bears re-signed Scales to a one-year deal to keep their special teams trio in tact heading into 2023. Chicago has consistency with their core specialists in Santos, Gill and Scales, who are heading into their second year together. The team also added competition at kicker with undrafted rookie Szmyt.
