Chicago Bears: 5 bold predictions for the roster amidst training camp

With one month and six days to go before the start of Chicago Bears training camp (not that anyone is counting), fans are getting more eager by the minute. This year’s training camp features plenty of excitement and hype we haven’t seen around this team in quite some time.

After what started out to be a disappointing offseason, general manager Ryan Pace turned it around in the 2021 NFL Draft and continued adding talent to the Bears roster.

Now with plenty of new faces to watch in camp, the Bears have a lot of work to do and decisions they are facing. Which areas could we see something significant happen?

We’ve got five bold predictions for the Bears roster when training camp gets into full force.

1. Chicago Bears rookie Thomas Graham Jr. will take command of the slot job

The Bears let go of veteran Buster Skrine this spring and have yet to find a concrete replacement. Instead, it’ll be a competition that finds the Bears’ next starting slot cornerback.

Whether it’s Duke Shelley, Kindle Vildor or another veteran stepping in remains to be seen. However, rookie sixth rounder Thomas Graham Jr. could be the man for the job. He’s had experience playing both outside and in the slot, and was a surprising find in this year’s draft.

Graham was graded out as more of a fourth-round projection, but fell to the Bears a couple of rounds later. His slip likely came from sitting out the 2020 season last year.

The physical frame he possesses would make Graham a logical candidate to try the slot, and during training camp, I believe he wins the job.

Over his three years at Oregon, Graham came up with 32 passes defensed, eight interceptions and even 10.5 tackles for loss — proving he can make noise in the backfield. Graham could end up being the Bears’ ideal slot, and camp will prove that.