Final Chicago Bears 53-man roster projection

The Chicago Bears concluded the 2024 preseason with a 4-0 record, outscoring their opponents by 68 total points. There were a number of standout performances during the exhibition season, but was it enough to earn a coveted roster spot?

When you look at this current roster, there are a number of locks. But there's also been plenty of competition for depth spots, and there are some potential surprises who could steal a roster spot. Earlier this offseason, general manager Ryan Poles said it would be difficult to make this team given the depth on the roster, and it certainly appears he wasn't lying.

With roster cutdowns just around the corner, here are my final 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 (6)

• D'Andre Swift

• Khalil Herbert

• Roschon Johnson

• Velus Jones Jr.

• Travis Homer

• Khari Blasingame

The running back group is a loaded one with Swift, Herbert and Johnson atop the depth chart in this committee. Swift will get a bulk of the carries as the primary back, but Herbert and Johnson will contend for backup reps. Jones has found new life at running back, and he also brings special teams versatility as the primary kickoff returner. With undrafted rookie Ian Wheeler landing on injured reserve this week, it feels like Homer locks down the final running back spot.

Wide receiver (5)

• DJ Moore

• Keenan Allen

• Rome Odunze

• Tyler Scott

• DeAndre Carter

The Bears have one of the best receiving trios in the NFL with Moore, Allen and Odunze, and they were easy locks for the roster. The trio will be primary targets for Williams, and the passing game should thrive. Scott has done enough to earn that WR4 role, as evidenced in the preseason finale. With Jones locking down a roster spot among the running backs, I only have five "receivers" making the cut. The final spot goes to Carter, who is expected to serve as the primary punt returner, which remains a weakness on the roster. But Carter is the most experienced.

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

• Kiran Amegadjie

• Matt Pryor

• Bill Murray

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. It certainly appeared that Borom, who was on the chopping block, would land one of the final spots. But after being carted off the field, he'll likely be waived with an injury settlement. That opens the door for Murray, who adds depth along the interior.

Defensive line (9)

• Montez Sweat

• Andrew Billings

• Gervon Dexter

• DeMarcus Walker

• Zacch Pickens

• Austin Booker

• Darrell Taylor

• Chris Williams

• Dominique Robinson

The defensive line has undergone some changes over the past couple of days with the trade acquisitions of Taylor and Williams, who are both locks to make this roster, as they serve as rotational pieces off the edge and along the interior, respectively. Outside of them, the defensive line is set with Sweat, Billings, Dexter, Walker and Booker. Matt Eberflus appeared to let slip that Robinson would be involved in the rotational off the edge, an indication he likely makes the roster over preseason standout Daniel Hardy.

Linebacker (5)

• Tremaine Edmunds

• T.J. Edwards

• Jack Sanborn

• Noah Sewell

• Amen Ogbongbemiga

Linebacker is one of the best units on the roster. 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 been a battle between Ogbongbemiga and Micah Baskerville for that final slot. Following a strong conclusion to the preseason, Ogbongbemiga gets the nod based on his special teams contributions.

Cornerback (6)

• Jaylon Johnson

• Kyler Gordon

• Tyrique Stevenson

• Terell Smith

• Josh Blackwell

• Jaylon Jones

Cornerback is a deep group for Chicago, and the top four spots are all but guaranteed with Johnson, Gordon, Stevenson and Smith. But there's plenty of intrigue with the final two spots, where there's been competition between Blackwell, Jones, Reddy Steward and Greg Stroman. While Steward and Stroman have been solid, the final two spots go to Blackwell and Jones.

Safety (5)

• Kevin Byard

• Jaquan Brisker

• Jonathan Owens

• Elijah Hicks

• Tarvarius Moore

Safety will look a little different this season as Byard replaces the departed Eddie Jackson. He joins third-year pro Brisker as the starting safety duo in a talented secondary. Owens and Hicks figure to be the primary reserves, as well as serving key roles on special teams. The final spot goes to Moore, who made a statement with a strong outing in the preseason finale.

Specialists (3)

• Cairo Santos

• Tory Taylor

• Patrick Scales

The specialists are set in stone at this point. There's no competition for Santos while Taylor and Scales don't face any real threat.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Final Chicago Bears 53-man roster projection