6 Bears Who Could Be Cut Prior to Training Camp

6. Travis Homer, running back

The days of the special teams ace aren't exactly "dead", but players like Travis Homer could soon become relics of days past in the NFL.

The league is moving forward to a new kickoff and kickoff return format in the 2024 season, which substantially boosts the value of kickoff return specialists as well as bigger, more physical guys who can make tackles in the return game. Although there is still a place for the "gunner" on a roster, it's going to be borderline impossible for a player like Homer to make the Bears' roster, even if he's been a core four special teams guy in the past.

And it's true -- he was 5th on the team last year with 253 special teams snaps, which is no small role by any means.

Now, the Bears have gone out and added D'Andre Swift to an already strong running back stable. They've got Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson coming back, and all three of those guys figure to be active on gamedays. With the new kickoff rules favoring players like Velus Jones Jr. and DeAndre Carter at the wide receiver position, how are the Bears supposed to justify a gameday roster spot for someone like Travis Homer, who didn't have a single carry or reception last year?

The new kickoff format -- which could see teams returning the ball upwards of 100 times per season -- benefits players at the linebacker and edge position when you talk about coverage, so you'd be looking at a diminished role to punt coverage for Travis Homer. And he had seven tackles in 16 games last season.

The Bears undoubtedly understand the direction things are trending in today's NFL and they won't be spinning their wheels. Maybe Homer will get a shot in camp and preseason games to prove he can still be an asset on special teams, but if he's not going to contribute to the offense at all, it's going to be tough to justify giving him a lot of reps in practice.

More Bears news and rumors: