The 2025 NFL preseason has come and gone in the matter of 12 days for the Chicago Bears. It was a productive offseason that started with the hiring of a brand-new coaching staff. After an active free agent period and eight picks in April’s draft, the roster felt ready for camp. Injuries have impacted some projections along the way, but when all is said and done, the Bears have to feel pretty good about where they are heading into Week 1. Before we put a bow on the preseason, let’s dive into a final edition of five Bears takes.
1. A few dates to keep in mind in the coming days
Tuesday, August 26th, 4 p.m. Eastern (Cut down to 53 players)
Wednesday, August 27th, 12 p.m. Eastern (Waiver claims are processed)
Wednesday, August 27th, 12:01 p.m. Eastern (Establishing practice squads)
Although the official conclusion of the NFL preseason is the night after the Bears finish out in Kansas City, the cut-down period will be the same for all 32 teams. Teams must go from 90 to 53 over the next few days, and for a select few teams (like the Bears), their international player roster exemptions run out, which means they’ll be cutting down from 91. Following that period, teams will have 20 hours to submit waiver claims for any player who qualifies for waivers. Of note, the Bears will be 10th in that order, which is the same as what the draft order would have been without any trades.
Unlike previous years, I wouldn’t expect Chicago to be as active on the wire. Usually, the most active teams are the teams searching for the most help, which is something Bears fans are no strangers to over the last few seasons. This is a team that has gone from Year 1 of an extensive rebuild to a time where they should be competing for a playoff spot. When general manager Ryan Poles was on 670 The Score last week, he noted that there are 57 (or so) players that they feel really good about. It’s fair to assume that over his first two seasons as general manager, that number was well into the low-to-mid 40s.
Now, this isn’t to say that the Bears won’t have “holes” on their roster, because most teams do. Running back and defensive end are two positions that stand out as spots that Poles and the front office could target in the coming days. Part of their urgency could depend on the health of players like Roschon Johnson, Kyle Monangai, Austin Booker, and Dominique Robinson. As a whole, I wouldn’t expect a super active period or a ton of shuffling at the bottom end of the roster, but as any good general manager will tell you, teams will always keep their options open when it comes to upgrading their roster.
Buckle in, Bears fans. The start of the regular season is drawing closer, and the next few days are guaranteed to provide enough action to keep everyone interested.
2. Reviewing each camp battle that involved a starting job
For the first time in recent memory, the Bears didn’t come into camp with a lot of open jobs. While that’s always a relief in the big picture, it can make things a little less interesting when it comes to the preseason. Even so, there were a few key battles that were worth monitoring and have all but played out.
Left Tackle
Simply put, this competition has not gone as expected. Maybe the result was predictable, but how we got here is not. Braxton Jones surprised many when he was ready for camp, even with a small ramp-up period. Even so, he doesn’t look healthy. There’s some clear atrophy in his previously injured leg, and he’s playing like it. Only time will tell if he can get back to form in the coming weeks, but it also seems clear that the coaching staff opted for the experience over upside. Speaking of upside, Theo Benedet, the former undrafted free agent from British Columbia, has made quite the impression over the last month. When camp started, it was assumed this was a three-man competition with Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie pushing Jones. Instead, Benedet ended up becoming the last man standing in the competition. He went from being a prime practice squad candidate to someone who is a virtual lock to make the roster, and likely to be active on game day due to his versatility. Trapilo has taken all of his snaps on the right side over the last few weeks, and it’s worth wondering if they’ve already given up “hope” for him playing left tackle. Finally, Amegadjie has been firmly entrenched with the third team at left tackle since returning from a two-week absence due to injury. It’s fair to wonder if he could be a surprise trade/cut candidate in the coming days.
Sam Linebacker
Heading into camp, this job felt like a two-man race between Noah Sewell and this year’s fourth-round pick, Ruben Hyppolite. From the opening preseason game, it has felt like Sewell is “the guy”. Although he might have some deficiencies in pass coverage, his ability to come up and make plays against the run was on full display this preseason. Hyppolite possesses more speed (and maybe more upside), but from an instinctual aspect, he has a long way to go. Instead, the rookie has found a way to make an impact on special teams, namely on coverage units. The good news is that this is a spot that should see less than 30% of the total defensive snaps, but both players would be primary candidates to be the first player off the bench if one of T.J. Edwards or Tremaine Edmunds goes down with an injury.
Cornerback
Is there another spot on the roster that has seen as much turmoil as cornerback in the last month? The announcements began with Jaylon Johnson starting on NFI due to a leg injury and fifth-round rookie Zah Frazier being away from the team for personal reasons. Injuries became such an issue in the defensive backfield that they signed four defensive backs in one day just to have enough players to get through their second preseason game. The one constant since camp: Tyrique Stevenson and Nahshon Wright. Count me as one of many people who overlooked the Wright signing earlier this offseason. I didn’t expect him to make the final roster, much less be in competition to start opposite Johnson. Yet, here we are. Both have had solid moments throughout camp, which helps. It’s assumed that Stevenson will get the first crack at the job, but don’t be surprised to see Wright rotating in throughout the season. Especially in a defense that features plenty of additional defensive backs. This has been one of the more positive developments during camp.
3. Five Winners of training camp and the preseason
In total, this has been a very positive camp in Chicago. The team hasn’t sustained many crucial injuries, and there has been plenty of healthy competition throughout the roster. It would be easier to include 10-plus players on this list, but we’ll keep it to five.
DE Austin Booker
As far as young players go, there hasn’t been a more impressive non-quarterback camp standout than Booker. Despite only playing in two games, he finished the preseason leading the league in sacks and quarterback hits. With any calculated approach to evaluating the preseason, numbers should always be taken with a grain of salt, but there’s plenty of reason to feel optimistic about Booker’s Year 2. Assuming he’s healthy enough for Week 1, he should factor early into the rotation on the defensive line.
QB Tyson Bagent
Bagent has long been a fan favorite and for good reason. The former Division II undrafted free agent took the team by storm when he went from a relative unknown to the primary backup in his rookie year. Fast forward a few years later and Bagent has once again earned the QB2 job and a two-year, $10 million extension to stay in Chicago for the next three years. Bagent’s growth has been noticeable, and his ability to assimilate so quickly with the new coaching staff has been notable. With Case Keenum rounding out the depth chart, it’s easy to see why head coach Ben Johnson believes this is the best quarterback room he’s ever been a part of.
WR Jahdae Walker
There’s no guarantee that he’ll make the roster; in fact, I would bet against it. However, he came in as an undrafted free agent and shone in multiple games. The preseason finale was his best work, which included the game-winning touchdown catch and the final special teams tackle to seal the game. My guess would be that the Bears only keep five receivers on the final roster, but if they keep six, it should come down between Walker and Maurice Alexander. Either way, Walker should make his way to the practice squad on Wednesday.
WR Olamide Zaccheaus
When Zaccheaus was originally signed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal, it felt like the perfect move for a player who has been a solid role player. At worst, he would compete for WR3, and at best, he would be their “starting” slot receiver. Once Luther Burden III was selected, it was fair to wonder what his role was going to be. Then training camp happened. It’s easy to argue that he’s been Caleb Williams’ most trusted receiving target, and for good reason. He simply gets open. There’s no guarantee that he’ll be able to hold off Burden all year, but he should go into the season with a solid role on a loaded offense.
LB Noah Sewell
Count me as one of the many skeptics who believed that the Bears needed to add another starting-quality player at linebacker. Instead, Sewell has taken the Sam role by the horns and doesn’t look like he’s going to give it back. That’s a quality development for the former fifth-round pick, especially if he can stay healthy.
4. Five Losers of training camp and the preseason
As noted above, it has been a pretty positive camp cycle overall, outside of a few injuries that have either stunted the ability to meld or cost role players their seasons. With that in mind, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, with some players (and positions) with remaining questions heading into the regular season.
Left Tackle
Following the selection of Trapilo in the second round, it felt like the Bears would have multiple comfortable options to win the starting tackle job. Couple that with Jones being ahead of schedule, and the vibes seemed strong around this battle. Fast forward four weeks, and it feels like they are no closer to finding a long-term answer than they were when the competition started. If anything, it’s concerning that they moved so quickly off Trapilo at left tackle, and the fact that Amegadjie is firmly planted as the last name on the depth chart. Benedet’s development has been promising, but it’s fair to have concerns about this group moving into Week 1. Don’t be surprised to see a new name out there after their Week 5 bye if things don’t go well with Jones.
DT Shemar Turner
For the first time in years, defensive tackle felt like one of the Bears’ more “stacked” positions heading into camp. For the most part, that has held true, especially with the emergence of Gervon Dexter at nose tackle. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is well-known for rotating his tackles and even using edge rushers inside on passing downs. That’s why it was disappointing to see Turner miss the majority of camp with an injury. He’ll head into the regular season behind the eight ball, on a stacked depth chart with minimal snaps to earn. We’ll see if he can work himself into the mix the more the season progresses.
RB Roschon Johnson
The 2023 fourth-round pick had a chance to carve out his most defined role at the NFL level, and yet, after the conclusion of the preseason, the same questions remain. His ability to stay on the field has been his biggest downfall, and this training camp was no different. The Bears are in a tough spot at running back. Even with the optimism surrounding Monangai. Call it a hunch, but Johnson feels like a player on the roster bubble, especially if they can add an outside name in the coming days.
DT Zacch Pickens
If we’re being honest, Pickens came into July with an uphill battle to make the roster, despite going into his third NFL season as a former third-round pick. So far, he’s done little to stick out in a crowded room, and it’s fair to believe that he’s on his way out of Chicago. If anything, it’ll come down to whether or not he put enough on tape to entice a team to trade a late-round pick for him. Either way, it’s hard to envision many scenarios where his time in Chicago bleeds into the 2025 season. That’s a tough pill to swallow as a former third-round pick, but general manager Ryan Poles’ history in that round has been ugly, to say the least.
OG Bill Murray
There was a small window of time last season where it appeared that the Bears might have found a hidden gem in the former defensive lineman. He had been impressive in relief on the interior and had a quality outing in his one game as a starter. Then a season-ending injury happened, and that was a wrap for his 2024 campaign. Following the rebuilding of the interior starting offensive line, it seemed like Murray had a real shot to make the 53-man roster as a reserve with a strong camp. Instead, he had spent the majority of the last month out of action, and because of that, it’s hard to see many scenarios where he sticks on the final roster. At this point, the hope would be that they can sneak him onto the practice squad.
5. Although I don’t expect a plethora of new additions, there are a few areas to keep a close eye on in the coming days
To say that this is a “complete” roster would be a stretch, but it’s also easy to see a roster that is vastly improved over even a year ago. The offensive line should be much improved. They have more depth at receiver than any fan has ever seen. Even on the defensive side of the ball, there aren’t many roster spots up for grabs. Even so, there are always areas that can be improved before the start of the season. Much of that will come down to value and opportunity.
Running Back
A lot of this might come down to the health of both Johnson and Monangai. Johnson has seemed comfortable with where Monangai stands, but what about Johnson, who has missed all of the preseason with a lingering foot injury? The better question might come down to what is available, especially after Brian Robinson was shipped out to San Francisco for a sixth-round pick. There aren’t many obvious solutions on paper, but as we’ve seen in previous cut-down cycles, there are always a few surprise names that get moved before the deadline.
Edge Rusher
Similar to running back, there aren’t many clear-cut options when it comes to trade candidates or potential waiver wire options. That said, there are a handful of free agent options that could make sense if the Bears are willing to pay up. Za’Darius Smith continues to make the most sense, but Jadaveon Clowney would also profile nicely in this defensive scheme. My gut feeling tells me that they won’t make any big splashes, but it’s a position at least worth keeping an eye on.
Linebacker
Don’t ask me to name any targets specifically, but this is yet another spot where they could stand to “upgrade”, especially if they aren’t sold on Sewell or the backend of their depth chart. In reality, this is probably a spot where they look for an outside option to throw on the practice squad next Wednesday, but nobody should be surprised if they were to make a minor move here.
When looking at the Bears’ depth chart as a whole, there aren’t many glaring weaknesses. At least, not when it comes to areas where they don’t have a young player (or two) that they can wait to develop over the course of a 17-game season. Whether or not that’s good enough to vault them into a playoff spot in 2025 remains to be seen, but fans should feel good about the direction of this group heading into Week 1. This could also be a scenario where they hold back their remaining financial resources for some flexibility at the deadline, which would make sense if they plan to be competing by late October. Only time will tell how that plays out, though.
0 Comments