Bears 53-man Roster Projection: Secondary depth and left tackle options will be major questions heading into preseason opener
The Chicago Bears will be back in action on Saturday for the first time in 2026. While we await the team’s first game of the preseason, let’s project how the roster could look based on what we learned through the first few weeks of training camp.
It’s been a long offseason for the Chicago Bears going into the second season under Ben Johnson, but for once, there hasn’t been a whole lot of drama surrounding this team outside of the injuries the Bears have been forced to deal with. And finally, the time as now arrived to see the Bears in action again when they kick off their preseason slate on Saturday against the Cleveland Browns.
Even if the majority of the starters are sitting out, this game will be a great opportunity for Johnson and his staff to assess the depth of this roster. How will Tyson Bagent look with an extended opportunity? Which left tackle can outshine the other? Can the secondary depth give Dennis Allen more confidence in his potential pieces?
All of those questions will play a pivotal role in deciding the initial 53-man roster. So, let’s project what that final roster will look like ahead of the preseason based on what we’ve learned throughout camp, and then compare it to our final prediction just before the start of the regular season.
Chicago Bears projected 53-man roster heading into Preseason Week 1
Quarterbacks (3)
- Caleb Williams
- Tyson Bagent
- Case Keenum
I’m a little biased saying that this is the best quarterback room in the NFL, but the Bears have a strong argument. We won’t see Caleb Williams out there on Saturday with Tyson Bagent starting in his place, but Williams has looked remarkably more confident in Ben Johnson’s offense in Year 2 and has a strong support system around him in this room.
Running backs (3)
- D’Andre Swift
- Kyle Monangai
- Roschon Johnson
D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai have been stellar over the last few days of camp with a major emphasis on hitting more explosive runs in 2026. The RB3 battle is still one to watch between Roschon Johnson and Salvon Ahmed, two players that should see plenty of carries throughout the preseason to decide who this spot will go to.
Wide Receivers (5)
- Rome Odunze
- Luther Burden III
- Kalif Raymond
- Zavion Thomas*
- Jahdae Walker
Despite all of the talk about which training camp darling could secure a WR6 spot, I’m only rocking with the five locks. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III will serve as the two main starters while Kalif Raymond will be the third WR in 11-personnel. The Bears will have a plan in place to get Zavion Thomas involved from time to time while Jahdae Walker serves as a versatile backup on the outside.
Tight ends (3)
- Colston Loveland
- Cole Kmet
- Sam Roush*
You can tell the Bears are really excited about what this TE trio can do this upcoming season. Colston Loveland is primed for a monster year as the top pass catching option on this team, Cole Kmet will still be a reliable outlet, and Sam Roush might honestly be Ben Johnson’s best kept secret going into the preseason.
Offensive line (10)
- Braxton Jones (LT)
- Joe Thuney (LG)
- Garrett Bradbury (C)
- Jonah Jackson (RG)
- Darnell Wright (RT)
- Logan Jones
- Jedrick Wills Jr.
- Ozzy Trapilo
- Theo Benedet
- Luke Newman
Chicago’s left tackle battle is still undecided and might honestly be a revolving door all offseason long. Because of that, I was forced to keep three different left tackle options along with Theo Benedet as the backup right tackle. Ozzy Trapilo being ahead of schedule also makes it a lot harder for Kiran Amegadjie to crack this list. Another sneaky battle to watch is Luke Newman, Jordan McFadden, and rookie Caden Barnett competing for the backup guard spot.
Defensive ends (5)
- Montez Sweat
- Austin Booker
- Dayo Odeyingbo
- Daniel Hardy
- Shemar Turner
The spotlight will be on this position to see how the edge rushers can improve with a heightened emphasis on the technique and fundamentals. Can Montez Sweat prove to be a Top-10 edge rusher? Will Austin Booker finally have his breakout year? How will Dayo Odeyingbo rebound after a torn Achilles? A lot questions are surrounding this group and if they can answer them, it will determine how good this defense can actually be.
Interior defensive line (5)
- Grady Jarrett
- Gervon Dexter Sr.
- Jordan van den Berg*
- Neville Gallimore
- Kentavius Street
To me, this is the weakest position on this entire team. The interior of the defensive line disappointed last season and the Bears are hoping that Grady Jarrett can make more of an impact in his second season in Chicago after dealing with a knee injury last year. The biggest name to watch is Jordan van den Berg. The rookie is surging up the depth chart right now and can easily push for a starting opportunity. It’ll be fun to see him in action.
Linebackers (5)
- T.J. Edwards
- Devin Bush
- D’Marco Jackson
- Jack Sanborn
- Keyshaun Elliott*
For all the moves the Bears made at linebacker this offseason, this group of five doesn’t look all that different. The main difference is Devin Bush taking the place of Tremaine Edmunds, bringing a whole lot more speed to the second level of this defense. The hardest choice was having to leave off Ruben Hyppolite II, making him one of the fringe roster players to watch during the preseason to see if he can push for a final spot.
Cornerbacks (7)
- Jaylon Johnson
- Tyrique Stevenson
- Kyler Gordon
- Malik Muhammad II*
- Cam Lewis
- Josh Blackwell
- Jaylon Jones
The cornerback room looks strong on paper and the Bears have certainly enjoyed having a healthy Jaylon Johnson back on the field. The same can’t be said for Kyler Gordon, and hopefully he’s back out there sooner than later. In the meantime, Cam Lewis has stepped up and proven to be a valuable depth piece for this secondary. The Bears are also really excited to see rookie Malik Muhammad II start getting some action during the preseason.
Safeties (4)
- Xavier Woods
- Dillon Thieneman*
- Elijah Hicks
- Skyler Thomas*
The safety room had a major shakeup when Coby Bryant went down with a knee injury that will sideline him four-six months. In his place, the Bears signed veteran Xavier Woods, who has quickly established himself as a starting-caliber player. Dillon Thieneman has been put through the fire throughout camp, but should be ready to compete at a high level once the regular season arrives.
Special Teams (3)
- Cairo Santos (K)
- Tory Taylor (P)
- Beau Gardner* (LS)
The only change with the specialist is Beau Gardner taking over the long snap duties after beating out Luke Elkin for the starting job. Gardner was named the nation’s best long snapper last year in college and proved to be worthy of the title during training camp.
Key Notes / Battles / Practice Squad Candidate
- Injuries to note: Coby Bryant will miss the majority of the regular season which is why he was excluded on this list. Ozzy Trapilo is ahead of schedule, though, so he was included and not listed as a PUP candidate for the time being.
- Key Battles: LT (Braxton Jones vs. Jedrick Wills Jr. vs. Kiran Amegadjie and maybe Trapilo?), RB3 (Roschon Johnson vs. Salvon Ahmed vs. Brittain Brown vs. Coleman Bennett), backup guard (Luke Newman vs. Jordan McFadden vs. Caden Barnett)
- Practice Squad Candidates: WR Kaden Davis, WR Scotty Miller, OL Caden Barnett, LB Ruben Hyppolite II, DT Jayden Loving, TE Hayden Large, among others
