Surprise cut candidate could be the answer to one of the Bears biggest depth concerns on the roster
With training camp coming up for all 32 teams in the league, coaching staffs will be forced to make some tough decisions leading up to the 2024 season.The Chicago Bears aren't exempt from that fact and have their fair-share of roster battles to cut down in order to form the 53-man roster.From what we saw […]
With training camp coming up for all 32 teams in the league, coaching staffs will be forced to make some tough decisions leading up to the 2024 season.
The Chicago Bears aren't exempt from that fact and have their fair-share of roster battles to cut down in order to form the 53-man roster.
From what we saw and heard out of OTAs and minicamp out of Halas Hall, one battle taking place on the roster might not be filled by a player currently on it.
The Bears already have three standout wide receivers at the top of the room in DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze. Behind those three, only second-year Tyler Scott and kick returner Velus Jones Jr. seem like locks to make the team. As for a potential sixth player at the position, it's going to be a battle between DeAndre Carter, Dante Pettis, Nsimba Webster, Freddie Swain, and Collin Johnson.
When the Bears start deciding who to keep on the 53-man roster, two things come into play: how well they can fill in as a depth player and what added bonus do they add to the team. Carter and Pettis offer tremendous value as return options while Johnson is the only one to match up frame-wise as an "X" backup.
With Odunze taking the starting punt return duties, perhaps keeping a player like Carter or Pettis might not be necessary. If the Bears want their sixth wide receiver to be a big-bodied receiver who could step in and produce if one of their main three goes down, could the team really trust Swain or Johnson to step up?
Personally, I don't think any of those players will land a spot on the 53-man roster, and that doesn't mean a sixth wide receiver will get kept by the time the season starts. Perhaps the best course of action would be to wait out until the end of training camp and see if a player with the right fit hits the market.
Earlier today, all of us writers at A to Z Sports put together our surprise cut candidates for all 32 teams. From that list, one name in particular could be exactly what the Bears need as a depth player at the wide receiver position.
That player is New York Giants wide receiver and 2022 breakout player Isaiah Hodgins. Our own Mauricio Rodriguez listed Hodgins as his pick for the Giants surprise cut candidate due to a heated battle coming up at the position. Here's what he had to say:
"Hodgins might look like a roster lock at first sight but the Giants have beefed up at wide receiver and the battle for that last WR spot will be fun to monitor. The Giants signed Allen Robinson after the NFL Draft and assuming they like him, Hodgins might find himself on the outside looking in. Keep in mind, Hodgins has only six career special teams snaps, which means WR6 could go to a specialist like Gunner Olszewski or Isaiah McKenzie." –Giants contributor Mauricio Rodriguez
Hodgins matches up very similarly to Odunze and could be a reliable outside option within the offense if he or Moore were to go down during the season. Hodgins posted seven touchdowns over the last two seasons with the Giants and appeared in 17 games for the team in 2023. The Giants brought Hodgins back this offseason on a one-year deal worth just over $1 million.
If he gets knocked off the team following training camp, the Bears would be wise to look his way after making cuts of their own. It's a low-risk move if he becomes available and would provide a lot more value and confidence than what the team currently has on the roster in the room.
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