The Chicago Bears' offseason adventure continues on Friday with the start of this year's rookie minicamp. Bears fans have been buzzing with anticipation to get a glimpse at the likes of Michigan's Colston Loveland and Texas A&M's Shemar Turner in action, and now they'll finally have a chance to hear all about Chicago's future this weekend.
As exciting as it'll be to see the Bears' first-year studs, the rookie minicamps combined with this month's upcoming organized team activities (OTAs) could spell bad news for some veteran players. A handful of returning vets are already on thin ice, and the Bears could be willing to finally cut ties with them if they're confident that the former can be replaced by a younger contributor.
Bears Could Cut RB Roschon Johnson Before the Start of June
When it comes to potential roster cuts before the end of May, look no further than third-year running back Roschon Johnson.
Looking to bolster the backfield a few years ago, the Bears used a fourth-round pick (115th overall) to target Johnson in the 2023 NFL draft. The former Texas RB was coming off a productive four-year run with the Longhorns that saw him convert 392 carries into 2,190 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.
It didn't take Johnson long to impress Bears fans.
Despite playing all 15 of his rookie appearances off the bench, the Port Arthur, TX native still managed to tally 81 carries for 352 rushing yards and two TDs, while also registering 209 receiving yards on 34 catches. The performance was solid enough to position Johnson as the RB2 behind D'Andre Swift when the 2024 campaign began.
Unfortunately, Year 2 could only be described as a disappointment. Even though he scored a career-best six TDs, Johnson's efficiency plummeted as he went from averaging 4.3 yards per attempt as a rookie to 2.7 Y/A last season, finishing with only 150 yards on 55 carries. It didn't help that his 36.5 Pro Football Focus pass protection grade left much to be desired.
Last year's performance already had Johnson on thin ice this offseason, but the surface beneath his feet only cracked more since then. On top of veteran RBs Swift and Travis Homer returning to the backfield, Johnson will face competition from some young runners this summer.
Undrafted runner Austin Reed is looking to prove he's an NFL-caliber RB after missing his rookie year with a torn ACL. 2025 seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai demonstrated some potential during his time at Rutgers University, while incoming UDFA rookie Deion Hankins has the tools to eventually be a solid complementary back if he capitalizes on every offseason opportunity.
In other words, the Bears could give Johnson the axe if Monangai, Hankins, or another backup option successfully grabs the coaching staff's attention. If that's the case, Chicago can save $837,828 in cap space by cutting Johnson, who has two years remaining on his contract, before June 1, per Spotrac.
With an uphill battle on the horizon, it remains to be seen if Johnson has what it takes to stand out from the competition this month. If not, it won't be long before he's forced to find a new home.