The Chicago Bears have high hopes for the 2026 season. The team couldn't have asked for a much better debut season from head coach Ben Johnson, so the hope now is the team will go even further in 2026.
On offense, the team should be set up nicely. Caleb Williams had a fantastic 2025 season, and Luther Burden, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, and D'Andre Swift will give the quarterback ample weapons.
However, with the roster getting so much better, it naturally means some players will get bumped off. Unfortunately, it looks like a former fourth-round pick could be on his way out as a result.
Roschon Johnson floated as cut candidate
Roschon Johnson was drafted by the Bears out of Texas in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The team and fans had high hopes for Johnson at the time, as he looked like a future star in college.
Unfortunately, things haven't panned out for Johnson at the NFL level. The running back has yet to earn a start in the league, and the 352 rushing yards he had as a rookie is still his highest single-season total.
As a result, Bleacher Report's Alex Kay thinks Johnson is a realistic cut candidate for the Bears. Kay offered the following analysis:
With Johnson rarely seeing the field and getting relegated mostly to special teams work in the seven games he was active for last year, it would be hard to fault the Bears for moving on from the running back. Johnson logged a mere two carries and didn't see a single target in 2025.
Although the Bears didn't bolster the backfield with any draft picks or notable free agents, they did grab veteran Salvon Ahmed and undrafted rookie Coleman Bennett to contest for roles during training camp. It's possible one of these unheralded options could impress the coaching staff and usurp Johnson as Chicago's RB3.
As Kay mentioned, Johnson has struggled to get on the field for the Bears' offense. The running back was a complete non-factor in 2025 and was only active for seven games.
The thing is, the Bears don't have that much depth at running back. Swift and Kyle Monangai are the obvious top options, but 2025 UDFA Brittain Brown, 2026 UDFA Coleman Bennett, and veteran journeyman Salvon Ahmed are the only other backs on the roster.
Cutting Johnson despite those uninspiring depth options would certainly be a bad sign for Johnson's career. But, then again, it's not like Johnson has done anything to prove he deserves more carries either.
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