Chicago Bears training camp: Which notable players might not survive roster cuts?

1. Kyle Fuller

Earlier this week, I mentioned Fuller as one of the Chicago Bears most in need of a strong training camp. On one hand, who doesn’t need to prepare well for the season?

But for Fuller, the circumstances are a little direr than that. If he struggles this summer, he very likely won’t break camp with the Bears.

The Skinny

By now, we know what kind of player Fuller is: solid at best, bad at worst and generally unspectacular.

Though he has decent zone coverage instincts, he simply doesn’t operate well in the way a Vic Fangio defense prefers. He won’t play sticky man-to-man defense, often displaying suspect technique and having to trail receivers.

That said, he improved dramatically in 2015 over his rookie season. According to Pro Football Focus, he jumped from a grade of 33.8 to 77.3 his second year, placing him in the top-third of all corners.

However, multiple factors have endangered his status with the Bears in the immediate future.

For one, this regime is not beholden to him, as he was originally a Phil Emery draft pick. Plus, the team wasn’t impressed by Fuller’s slow recovery from a pre-season knee scope, questioning his desire to play. That likely played into their decision not to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.

Then to make matters worse, the Bears signed two veteran corners—Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper—that will immediately push to start. And that doesn’t even cover the bevy of young corners, like Bryce Callahan, Deiondre’ Hall and Cre’Von LeBlanc, that will fight for snaps. If Fuller didn’t like he was in survival mode before, he certainly should now.

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And financially, aside from having no fifth year for security, he’d only cost $3 million to cut if the Bears chose to go that route.

Simply, if Fuller doesn’t give the Chicago Bears a reason to keep him, they won’t. And if they move on from him and Carey, only three Phil Emery draft picks would remain with the team. That’s exactly what landed the Bears in rebuilding mode in the first place.