Chicago Bears: Way too early 53-man roster projection
By Todd Welter
Five Roster Spots: Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Freeman, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, and Khari Blasingame
David Montgomery left the team via free agency. D’Onta Freeman was signed in the offseason to replace him. Herbert is in bold just because of his ability to break a big run and being in the offensive system for a second year.
Freeman or Johnson could take the starting job if they can make some big runs and pass-protect better than Herbert. The Bears are high on Johnson who they took in the fourth round.
Homer was also signed in free agency. He provides value on special teams. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy likes to have some formations with a fullback so Blasingame should win the job.
Last year’s sixth-round pick Trestan Ebner appears to be the odd man out unless he can show he is better on special teams than Homer.
Six roster spots: D.J. Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Tyler Scott, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Dante Pettis
The wide receiver group went from one of the league’s worst to one of the NFL’s best when Poles traded the No. 1 pick to the Panthers for D.J. Moore and four draft picks.
Claypool struggled last year after he was acquired before the trade deadline. He now has a full offseason to work with Fields and study Getsy’s route tree. Darnell Mooney missed most of last season with an ankle injury. If he returns healthy, those three will be hard to cover.
Scott is a speedster who the Chicago Bears selected with one of their two fourth-round picks. That is another explosive player for Fields to throw the ball deep down the field.
St. Brown and Pettis get the nod over last year’s third-round pick, Velus Jones Jr.
It is not great to cut a third-round pick after one season. Jones Jr. finished the season strong after struggling, but St. Brown, Scott, and Pettis do certain things better than him.
St. Brown was not good at catching the ball, but he is an excellent blocker. Getsy’s system leans on wide receivers being able to block to get chunk plays out of screen passes and jet sweeps.
Jones Jr.’s value is diminished with the new kickoff rule since he struggled last year to field punts. Pettis had to replace him as the punt returner. Since Scott can take Jones Jr’s spot on the jet sweep and Pettis is more reliable as a punt returner, it leaves Velus off the roster.
Three roster spots: Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan, and Chase Allen
Kmet had a breakout season last year. Tonyan was signed in the offseason to give Fields another target in the redzone.
The third tight end is probably not on the roster yet. If Poles does not add a veteran, Allen has more size than Jake Tonges to be the one that is worth developing.