The Chicago Bears are in the midst of roster cuts ahead of Tuesday’s deadline (follow our tracker here), where they’re trimming the roster from 91 to 53 players.
General manager Ryan Poles has some difficult decisions ahead of him as he fills out depth at various positions. With injury and depth concerns at running back, cornerback and offensive tackle, could we see Poles make some moves to land new players — be it via trade before roster cuts or via the waiver wire. We attempted to do the same in our final 53-man roster projection, which saw the departures of some preseason standouts and fan favorites.
With that in mind, before the Bears officially trim their roster to 53 players, here’s a look at our current projected depth chart:
Quarterback
The Bears brought Case Keenum in to serve as a mentor for Caleb Williams. But Tyson Bagent has proven to be a solid backup in his two seasons in the league, and he clearly won the QB2 job (with a two-year, $10 million contract extension as the exclamation point). It wouldn’t be out of the question for the team to carry three QBs.
Running back
The Bears are banged up at running back, where D’Andre Swift and Brittain Brown are the only healthy ones. Assuming Roschon Johnson doesn’t land on injured reserve as he remains sidelined, Brown is the odd man out (as Travis Homer brings special teams value).
Wide receiver
The Bears’ top wide receiver spots have been locked down for some time as DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus, Luther Burden III and Devin Duvernay all have roles on this roster. Assuming Chicago carries six wideouts, that final spot should go to undrafted rookie standout Jahdae Walker, who’s coming off an impressive preseason finale.
Tight end
The top three tight ends have been locked down before training camp it seems. Right now, Cole Kmet is listed as the starter. But many expect that to change soon as Colston Loveland continues to grow in this offense after having missed the offseason program. Durham Smythe’s blocking prowess gets him the final nod.
Offensive line
The biggest question for the Bears offensive line is the battle at left tackle, which has gone on far too long and finally appears to be nearing resolution. With that said, Braxton Jones gets the nod for now given his experience and the fact that he’s still working back from injury. Chicago might be more comfortable with rookie Ozzy Trapilo on the right side and Theo Benedet has emerged as a contender. There are questions as to whether former third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie makes the roster, but I’ve got him sneaking in.
Edge rusher
Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo are essentially locks at edge rusher, but there are questions about whether they can get it done off the edge. Preseason standout Austin Booker is expected to miss a few weeks with a knee injury, but he’s that third edge rusher who provides valuable upside. (We’ll see if he starts the year on IR). Meanwhile, Dominique Robinson is a name that’s been mentioned throughout the offseason and now training camp, and he gets the last spot.
Defensive tackle
The Bears will ride an interior of Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings this season, which will make the interior defensive line a problem for opposing offenses. While rookie Shemar Turner was sidelined with a high ankle sprain, he gets the fourth spot and should develop nicely along the interior. The last spot is the one up for grabs, where I have Chris Williams beating out former third-round pick Zacch Pickens for the nod.
Linebacker
Linebacker is a group that appears to be set with T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds entering their third season together. The only question is who will line up where, between MIKE and WILL as Dennis Allen has been experimenting with them at multiple positions. Noah Sewell appears to have won the LB3 linebacker job over rookie Ruben Hyppolite II, who will provide solid depth along with Amen Ogbongbemiga.
Cornerback
Cornerback was the Bears’ deepest position group — but it’s also been the position most plagued by injuries during the summer. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon have been dealing with injuries but are trending for a Week 1 return. But Chicago suffered a huge blow when they lost key depth piece Terell Smith to a season-ending knee injury. Following Nahshon Wright’s brutal preseason, I’ve got Tyrique Stevenson penciled in opposite Johnson.
Safety
This is another position group that already appears set with Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard back for their second year together with Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens serving as valuable depth and special teams contributors. No surprises here.
Specialists
While the Bears have preached competition at all positions on the roster, Cairo Santos, Tory Taylor and Scott Daly feel like safe locks at this point. The Bears cut Jonathan Kim earlier this summer, which means Santos is back as kicker. Meanwhile, Daly gets the nod over Luke Elkin at long snapper.
Return specialists
While Devin Duvernay provides valuable depth at wide receiver, he was brought in to serve as the primary kickoff and punt returner for the Bears. Josh Blackwell also brings valuable experience to the table.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears 2025 projected depth chart ahead of roster cuts
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
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