Keep an eye on these position battles for Bears

BOURBONNAIS — There won't be much time to focus on the Bears starters in Thursday's preseason opener vs. the Broncos at Soldier Field because they won't be out there very long.

But backups will get a longer look in order to put pressure on starters whose positions aren't assured, and the depth chart could change based on individual performances.

While most of the team is already set, there are a lot of players scrambling for the bottom few spots on the 53-man roster and the eight-man practice squad.

Here are the battles for backup spots at nearly every position that bear watching:

Wide receiver:There's not much room left here behind Brandon Marshall, Earl Bennett, Devin Hester and Alshon Jeffery. They won't keep more than six. Eric Weems and Rashied Davis have an advantage in that they excel at special teams. #8220;We don't bring back a guy like (Davis), that we know, unless you think he can play,#8221; coach Lovie Smith said. #8220;So he'll get in the mix. It's equal opportunity around here. Best guys will play; best 53 will make the team.#8221;But Dane Sanzenbacher caught 27 passes last season as an undrafted rookie, and he has gotten better as a receiver and at special teams. #8220;At the end of last year, the last four games or so, he started on two phases for us,#8221; special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. #8220;He was a (punt protector), he was a (backup) returner for us, so he has game experience on special teams. If he's in that role, if he's the fourth or fifth receiver, or sixth receiver for that matter, we know he can come in and play special teams for us. We feel comfortable with that.#8221;Undrafted rookie Brittan Golden has made a positive impression catching the ball throughout training camp and has some return ability. He and Western Illinois' Terriun Crump are looking to build off solid early camp performances. Running back:This is another position with more talent than available spots. Matt Forte and Michael Bush will do almost all the heavy lifting while Kahlil Bell, Lorenzo Booker and Armando Allen fight it out for what will likely be just one spot. Bell has been productive as a runner-receiver in the past but has fumbled too much. Allen brings a change-of-pace quickness the others lack, and Booker is a proven veteran. Each one brings a different skill set to the table.#8220;It will be up to us to make sure we get the best out of them within our system,#8221; running backs coach Tim Spencer said. #8220;I have nothing bad to say about the way they've performed this camp. They're making it tough on us, but that's good.#8221;Linebacker:Veteran Geno Hayes has gotten extensive first-team reps because of Brian Urlacher's absence, but more depth needs to be developed.Dom DeCicco was a pleasant surprise on special teams last season as an undrafted rookie, and he'll get a long look in the middle against the Broncos.#8220;It's a great opportunity for young guys like Dom to get reps,#8221; Smith said. #8220;You talk to those guys, they'll tell you how important those preseason games really are.#8221;Second-year player Patrick Trahan played special teams in five games last season. J.T. Thomas, a sixth-round pick in 2011, spent the year on injured reserve. Both are players the coaching staff would love to see step up and show the ability to provide much-needed depth. Their roster spots could depend on it.Safety:It would be an upset if any of the young safeties crack the 53-man roster behind starters Major Wright and Chris Conte and backups Brandon Hardin and Craig Steltz, but that's why they play the games.#8220;Jeremy Jones will be interesting, and Trevor Coston,#8221; defensive backs coach Jon Hoke said of the two undrafted rookies. #8220;We've never seen them in a real game in person. One thing I'm pretty sure they're going to do is run around, and hopefully they're going to make tackles and hit somebody.#8221;No Sales21372923Armando Allen and Tyler Clutts have flashed their skills in training camp in Bourbannais, but theyÂ’ll get a chance to play against the Denver Broncos Thursday as they try to win a spot on the 53-man roster for the Bears.Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.comNo Sales