Bears 53-man roster prediction after third preseason game

The Chicago Bears defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-3, in their third preseason game of the summer. But there is still one preseason games remaining before general manager Ryan Poles has to trim the roster down to 53 players by Aug. 27.

When you look at this current roster, there are a number of locks. But there's plenty of competition for depth spots, and there are some potential surprises who could steal a roster spot. The remainder of preseason will be intriguing given competition at wide receiver, running back, offensive line, defensive line and return specialist that will earn or lose roster spots. Roster bubble players still have some time to make a statement, but the roster is starting to take shape.

Following the first three preseason games, here are my updated projections for the Bears’ 53-man roster:

Quarterback (2)

• Caleb Williams

• Tyson Bagent

There's no surprise at quarterback. Williams has been the defacto QB1 since he was drafted, and any thoughts of Bagent being unseated as Williams' backup were quickly dispelled after his outing last Saturday. The Bears could certainly choose to carry three on the roster, but it seems more likely that Brett Rypien and/or Austin Reed are retained on the practice squad.

Running back (5)

• D'Andre Swift

• Khalil Herbert

• Roschon Johnson

• Travis Homer

• Khari Blasingame

Swift, Herbert, Johnson and Blasingame all feel like safe locks at this point, but there is some intrigue about that final spot. I'm still hesitant to put undrafted rookie Ian Wheeler above Homer, given the veteran's special teams contributions, but another impressive outing from Wheeler could certainly make things interesting. Plus, the Bears also have a running back option in Velus Jones Jr., who makes my cut among the receiver group.

Wide receiver (6)

• DJ Moore

• Keenan Allen

• Rome Odunze

• Tyler Scott

• Velus Jones Jr.

• Dante Pettis

Moore, Allen, Odunze and Scott are all locks at this point, but those final two roster spots are certainly up for grabs. Right now, I've got Jones getting one of those final spots given he's projected to be the starting kickoff returner. Plus, he has versatility on offense, especially as he flashed his potential as a running back. Following his breakout Hall of Fame game, Johnson has been sidelined and unable to defend a possible roster spot. Which is where Pettis slides in for the final spot, where he provides depth at receiver and provides an option at punt returner.

Tight end (3)

• Cole Kmet

• Gerald Everett

• Marcedes Lewis

The Bears are likely only going to carry three tight ends, so this position group is pretty much set in stone. Kmet remains the top target in this group with Everett joining the fray this year and Lewis returning for his 19th NFL season. Shane Waldron likes to utilize two-tight-end sets, so expect to see plenty of them this season.

Offensive line (9)

• Braxton Jones

• Teven Jenkins

• Darnell Wright

• Ryan Bates

• Coleman Shelton

• Nate Davis

• Matt Pryor

• Kiran Amegadjie

• Larry Borom

The Bears starting offensive line is starting to take shape with Jones, Jenkins, Wright, Davis/Bates and Shelton. While Bates is "week to week," the center and right guard spots are far from solidified. Depth is an important component when filling out the rest of the room. Pryor brings versatility at tackle and guard, and he looked solid at right guard with the starters. Amegadjie was a third-round pick, and he'll make it for that reason alone now that he's back from his quad injury. While Borom has been on the chopping block, he provides depth at tackle and has been the primary reserve this summer.

Defensive line (8)

• Montez Sweat

• Andrew Billings

• Gervon Dexter

• DeMarcus Walker

• Zacch Pickens

• Austin Booker

• Daniel Hardy

• Dominique Robinson

The starting defensive line is set with Sweat, Walker, Billings and Dexter, but there's plenty of competition for those depth spots off the edge and along the interior. Pickens, a third-round pick from last season, is a safe bet to make the roster. Meanwhile, Booker and Hardy have really shown out during the preseason. Booker already felt like a safe lock to make the roster, but Hardy is definitely making a case for a spot. Also landing a spot is Robinson, who's benefitting from Jacob Martin being sidelined by injury.

Linebacker (5)

• Tremaine Edmunds

• T.J. Edwards

• Jack Sanborn

• Noah Sewell

• Amen Ogbongbemiga

Edmunds, Edwards and Sanborn get the first three spots, but there's more competition for those final two roster spots. Considering Sewell was a draft pick last year, he gets one of them, even though he's missed significant time with injury. But there's a battle between Ogbongbemiga and Micah Baskerville for that final slot. For right now, Ogbongbemiga gets the nod based on his special teams contributions.

Cornerback (7)

• Jaylon Johnson

• Kyler Gordon

• Tyrique Stevenson

• Terell Smith

• Josh Blackwell

• Jaylon Jones

• Greg Stroman Jr.

Cornerback is a deep group for Chicago, and the top four spots are already filled with Johnson, Gordon, Stevenson and Smith. But there's plenty to watch with those final two spots, where Blackwell, Stroman, Jones and Reddy Steward will be competing. While Steward has had a standout camp, he misses the cut among a deep cornerback group.

Safety (5)

• Kevin Byard

• Jaquan Brisker

• Jonathan Owens

• Elijah Hicks

• Adrian Colbert

There's not a lot of surprise at safety. Byard and Brisker will be the starting duo with Owens figuring to serve a key role as primary reserve and on special teams. Hicks has had a strong preseason, and he'll make his way onto the roster. Colbert also gets a nod.

Specialists (3)

• Cairo Santos

• Tory Taylor

• Patrick Scales

The specialists are set in stone at this point. There's no competition for Santos, Taylor doesn't face any real threat from Corliss Waitman, and the only reason Cameron Lyons is back on the roster is because Scales is dealing with a back injury.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Chicago Bears 53-man roster prediction after third preseason game