NEWSLETTER
Welcome to Year 3 of the Matt Nagy Era.
Still scheduled to kick off in September – pandemic pending – this summer’s training camp opens with a fewer players than expected. That’s because training camp rosters have been trimmed to 80 around the league in order to oblige by new league protocols. It’s probably not what coaches — especially ones who crave camp competitions — desire, but that’s where they’re left to deal with in 2020.
While we have a moment, let’s take a look at Chicago’s roster as it’s currently constructed.
Quarterback
1) Mitchell Trubisky
2) Nick Foles
3) Tyler Bray
In case you missed it, the Bears have a full-blown quarterback competition on their hands. Leave it to this franchise to have a camp battle in a year without preseason games. Nevertheless, it’s here.
Beyond that, I’m still surprised the Bears didn’t bring in competition for Tyler Bray. Moreover, I’m curious if they’ll quarantine QB3 for safety/strategy purposes.
Running back
4) David Montgomery
5) Tarik Cohen
6) Ryan Nall
7) Artavis Pierce (rookie)
The backups behind Montgomery and Cohen are a player with minimal professional experience (Nall) and an undrafted free agent rookie. Depth at this position is highly questionable.
Wide Receivers
8) Allen Robinson II
9) Anthony Miller
10) Ted Gin Jr.
11) Cordarrelle Patterson
12) Reggie Davis
13) Trevor Davis
14) Thomas Ives
15) Darnell Mooney (rookie)
16) Riley Ridley
17) Ahmad Wagner
18) Javon Wims
Tight ends
19) Jimmy Graham
20) Cole Kmet (rookie)
21) Demetrius Harris
22) Darion Clark (rookie)
23) Eric Saubert
24) J.P. Holtz
25) Jesper Horsted
Looking at this collection of pass catchers makes me think the Bears will play out of 12 formation (1 running back, 2 tight ends, 2 receivers) more often this season. I don’t think they’ll abandon 11 personnel (3 WR, 1 RB, 1 TE), but it would make sense if they scaled back some.
Offensive line
26) Charles Leno Jr.
27) Cody Whitehair
28) James Daniels
29) Germain Ifedi
30) Bobby Massie
31) Alex Bars
32) Rashaad Coward
33) Dieter Eiselen (rookie)
34) Arlington Hambright (rookie)
35) Corey Levin
36) Sam Mustipher
37) Lachavious Simmons (rookie)
38) Jason Spriggs
39) Badara Traore (rookie)
Even after making cuts, the Bears offensive line still has battles on the horizon. Most notably at right guard, where Germain Ifedi and Rashaad Coward are set to square off. Then again, I’m curious to see if any starting caliber offensive linemen make their way to the waiver wire as part of the cut-down to 80.
Defensive line
40) Akiem Hicks
41) Roy Robertson-Harris
42) Bilal Nichols
43) Brent Urban
44) Abdullah Anderson
45) John Jenkins
46) Lee Autry (rookie)
47) Trevon McSwain (rookie)
I miss seeing Eddie Goldman’s name in this group. (ICYMI: He opted out of playing in 2020.)
Edge rusher #1
48) Khalil Mack
49) Robert Quinn
50) Trevis Gipson (rookie)
51) James Vaughters
52) Isaiah Irving
53) Barkevious Mingo
Linebackers
54) Roquan Smith
55) Danny Trevathan
56) Joel Iyiegbuniwe
57) Josh Woods
58) Rashad Smith (rookie)
59) Ledarius Mack (rookie)
60) Keandre Jones (rookie)
61) LaCale London (rookie)
Interesting to note LaCale London’s listing as a linebacker. The Western Illinois product was a defensive tackle in college. And earlier, I lumped him in the names behind John Jenkins on the depth chart. Perhaps London is the Bears’ next developmental project? It’s worth keeping an eye on.
Cornerbacks
62) Kyle Fuller
63) Buster Skrine
64) Jaylon Johnson (rookie)
65) Artie Burns
66) Xavier Crawford
67) Stephen Denmark
68) Michael Joseph
69) Sherrick McManis
70) Duke Shelley
71) Kevin Toliver II
72) Kindle Vildor (rookie)
The race to start at corner opposite of Kyle Fuller will garner most of the attention. However, there are a handful of defensive backs angling for a roster spot. Second-year 2019 draft picks Stephen Denmark and Duke Shelley aren’t guaranteed roster spots. Young undrafted free agents Xavier Crawford, Michael Joseph, and Kevin Toliver II are in the mix, too. In a normal year, Kindle Vildor is a fan favorite because of his name (and because of how he plays up to competition).
Safeties
73) Eddie Jackson
74) Tashaun Gipson Sr.
75) Deon Bush
76) DeAndre Houston-Carson
With Jordan Lucas opting out, I can envision Chicago shifting Sherrick McManis into a reserve safety role. Even still … it’s worth pointing out that McManis can really lock down as a slot corner in a pinch. The longest-tenured Bears player still has it in him.
Special teams
77) Eddie Piñeiro (kicker)
78 Ramiz Ahmed (the other kicker) (rookie)
79) Pat O’Donnell (punter)
80) Patrick Scales (long-snapper)
It’s not training camp without a kicking competition. There isn’t much out there on Ramiz Ahmed, who didn’t kick professionally in 2019. But he stood out to at Jamie Kohl’s kicking camp and at a competition at John Carney’s school for kickers. At minimum, Ahmed’s presence should keep Piñeiro on his toes.
