3 Biggest Surprises on the Bears' 53-Man Roster After Cuts
The Chicago Bears had a successful preseason ending with a 4-0 record. The team's preseason success highlights how far the roster has come in two years under general manager Ryan Poles.
In 2022, the Bears' roster was weak and lacked competition. This season, however, the team has a healthy dose of competition at most positions. While this is a positive sign, it makes deciding who will make the initial 53-man roster more challenging.
As a result, some players favored by position coaches and fans may not make the cut. With that in mind, here are the three biggest surprises who made the Bears' initial 53-man roster in 2024.
1. Dominique Robinson, DE
Despite playing with the second team throughout the preseason, Dominique Robinson was considered a roster bubble candidate by many fans. This perception stemmed from his lack of standout plays. In four preseason games, he recorded only one notable play: a tackle for loss.
Going to have my eyes peeled on Dominique Robinson.
— Nic Roti (@ChicagoNic) August 22, 2024
He’s impressed this preseason, but so has Daniel Hardy.
These two could be duking it out tonight to see who makes it 👀 pic.twitter.com/R9utfpCTvJ
Robinson's failure to make an impact for the Bears on defense has been consistent since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. As a rookie Robinson played in 17 games, starting in 7, recording 27 total tackles ( 22 solo and 5 assists), three sacks and 15 quarterback pressures (according to PFF). Although the Bears weren't a strong team in 2022, Robinson was expected to be a player fans could look forward to, even with his position change.
Last season, Robinson appeared in 11 games as a rotational defensive end recording 10 tackles (7 solo, 3 assists), one sack and five quarterback pressures. When a player takes a step back in their second season it is never a good sign.
The reason that Robinson continues to stick around is because head coach Matt Eberflus likes bigger defensive ends who can set the edge. At 6'5" and 273 pounds, Robinson fits that mold perfectly. Hopefully, something clicks for him during the regular season, allowing him to become a factor in games.