Preseason finale important to some Chicago Bears
Thursday night's final Chicago Bears preseason game might not matter much to fans because most starters won't do much more than put on their uniforms. It's also against the Cleveland Browns.
But it's the final opportunity for players on the bubble to impress coaches, who will spend most of the weekend determining who makes the final 53-man roster.
By 3 p.m. Saturday, the roster will be set. On Sunday, teams begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. Bears coach John Fox has said his least favorite part of the job is pulling the plug on players who have spent the previous month working to land a job.
Fox said he believes this year that task will be even more difficult.
“We're deeper as a football team,” he said. “We've got tougher roster decisions. We've got one more (chance) to evaluate players in a game setting. All in all, I like where we are.”
Here's a position-by-position guesstimate of how the roster might look by Saturday night.
Quarterback: Kept last year: 2; Expected to keep this year: 3
Mike Glennon is the starter, and Mitch Trubisky is the future starter.
Eyebrows were raised when it was announced that ninth-year veteran Mark Sanchez, who remains No. 2 on the depth chart, would not play in the final preseason game.
But coaches frequently have mentioned the value of having a battle-tested veteran in the QB room if for no other reason than to mentor the youngsters.
Connor Shaw, who will split duties with Trubisky on Thursday night, is eligible for the practice squad.
Running back: Kept last year: 3; Expected to keep this year: 4
Jordan Howard and rookie Tarik Cohen are locks. Ka'Deem Carey's fractured wrist makes him a candidate for injured reserve.
If Carey is kept on the active roster, then oft-injured Jeremy Langford is battling veteran Benny Cunningham, who can return kicks, and undrafted rookie Josh Rounds for one spot.
Cunningham and Carey have value on special teams; Langford does not.
Fullback: Kept last year: 1. Expected to keep this year: 1
Third-year veteran Michael Burton appears to have the advantage over undrafted Freddie Stevenson.
Wide receiver: Kept last year: 6; Expected to keep this year: 5
The loss of Cam Meredith (knee) opens up an additional spot at a position with many spots up for grabs.
Kevin White and Markus Wheaton are locks. Veteran free agents Kendall Wright, Victor Cruz and Titus Davis, returning veterans Deonte Thompson and Josh Bellamy and undrafted rookie Tanner Gentry are all in the mix and have all looked good at times.
The Bears love the special-teams contributions of Thompson and Bellamy, and that's always a consideration for backups.
Wheaton's appendectomy, followed closely by a fractured finger that required surgery, have limited his snaps. But he could be back by opening day.
Tight end: Kept last year: 3; Expected to keep this year: 4
Dion Sims and Adam Shaheen are in, and Zach Miller should be as well.
With Meredith out, Miller gives the Bears another down-the-field threat and is the best pass-catching option among the tight ends.
Daniel Brown's odds are good if the Bears decide to keep four.
Offensive line: Kept last year: 8; Expected to keep this year: 8
Left guard Kyle Long's questionable availability (knee) and backup guard Eric Kush's season-ending hamstring injury would shift center Cody Whitehair back to his original guard spot if Long isn't ready for the opener.
That would elevate backup Hroniss Grasu to starting center. If Long is healthy, Grasu makes the roster as a backup, though he has a ways to go before he's a reliable guard.
If another backup interior lineman sticks, it probably would be Cyril Richardson or Will Poehls.
Bradley Sowell and Tom Compton, both with experience starting in the NFL, are the top backups at tackle behind starters Charles Leno and Bobby Massie.
Fifth-round draft pick Jordan Morgan, a developmental project, will have a backup spot.
Defensive line: Kept last year: 6; Expected to keep this year: 6
Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman and 2016 third-round pick Jonathan Bullard are locked in, and Mitch Unrein is a versatile John Fox guy from way back.
Veteran free agents Jaye Howard and John Jenkins should provide quality backup, and either could become the third starter in the base 3-4, along with Hicks and Goldman.
Bulked-up Roy Robertson-Harris has made enough splash plays to force one of the veterans out.
Linebacker: Kept last year: 9; Expected to keep this year: 8
Inside, 2016 fourth-round pick Nick Kwiatkoski is much more prepared to fill in for Jerrell Freeman or Danny Trevathan than he was as a rookie, which is key considering Trevathan is not yet 100 percent.
Christian Jones, John Timu and Jonathan Anderson are reliable backups who have started in the past, and they're all major special-teams contributors. But Anderson has missed a lot of time with an ankle injury.
Outside, behind Leonard Floyd and Willie Young, there's a lot of uncertainty. Pernell McPhee is still on the physically-unable-to-perform list and cannot be counted on anymore.
Sam Acho might be a better bargain than injury-prone Lamarr Houston, whose contract ($5.95 million base) may be too rich.
Safety: Kept last year: 5; Expected to keep this year: 4
Quintin Demps is one starter, and rookie Eddie Jackson will make one or both of last year's starters (Adrian Amos and Harold Jones-Quartey) expendable.
Last year's fourth-round draft pick Deon Bush has done enough to earn another year. Chris Prosinski is a valued special-teams player, but that may not be enough.
Cornerback: Kept last year: 7; Expected to keep this year: 7
Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara are the starters, Bryce Callahan and Cre'Von LeBlanc are the top nickels, and 2014 first-round pick Kyle Fuller has played well in spurts after last year's wasted season.
Johnthan Banks could stick around as veteran depth if he's able to stay healthy, but the Bears might get more production from veteran nickel B.W. Webb.
Another 2016 fourth-rounder, Deiondre Hall, has size and the benefit of being able to play cornerback and safety.
Specialists: Kept last year: 3; Expected to keep this year: 3
Punter Patrick O'Donnell has looked better than ever. It would be a shock if the Bears kept inconsistent place-kicker Roberto Aguayo over Connor Barth, who was solid last year. Jeff Overbaugh is the long snapper for now, but if someone with more experience hits the waiver wire, he would get the gig.
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