Bears coordinator highlights 3 roster bubble players who are finding different ways to make cases for the 53-man roster
Roster cuts are coming up quick for the Chicago Bears and players currently on the bubble need to stand out in multiple ways in order to make the 53-man cut. Richard Hightower highlighted three players to watch.
The Chicago Bears wrapped up its final training camp practice at Halas Hall on Wednesday, a short session before the team takes off to Nashville ahead of Thursday’s joint practice and Saturday’s preseason finale.
Then, on Sunday, general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson will go through the evaluation process to trim this roster down from 91 players to form the initial 53-man roster. It’s always a tough process for everyone involved and it comes with some tough decisions.
For players on the bubble, Thursday’s practice and Saturday’s game will be the final opportunities to prove you belong on this team. Take Jahdae Walker for example, who stamped his spot on the 53-man roster with a strong showing in the preseason finale last year. This time around, here are three players to watch that special teams coordinator Richard Hightower highlighted on Wednesday.
WR Kaden Davis is getting close to earning his spot on the 53-man roster
Wide receiver Kaden Davis has been the team’s biggest surprise of training camp. Davis went undrafted in 2022 and was cut by multiple different teams throughout his NFL career. After a strong season in the UFL, the Bears decided to bring him in and see what he could bring to the table.
Since then, Davis has consistently shown flashes and worked his way up to getting first-team looks with quarterback Caleb Williams. The noticeable factor Davis brings is his speed. Rome Odunze said previously that Davis is consistently one of the fastest players on the team at practice. But, what you don’t see is the little details that will earn him a spot on this roster.
“I got ultimate respect for Kaden Davis,” Hightower explained. “It’s kinda like Kalif Raymond’s story. Kalif had been cut so many different times. You deal with a lot of guys that have had that happen to them, but do they have the perseverance to push through? I think Kaden does and I’m happy and excited to see what he’ll bring to the table this week. He’ll get more opportunities.”
Salvon Ahmed still fighting for the RB3 job and eager to prove himself on special teams
Another veteran flier the Bears brought in that seemed like an afterthought was running back Salvon Ahmed. He was coming off a significant injury that forced him to miss and entire season, but had history with RBs coach Eric Studesville. And yet, he still needs to prove himself in order to make the initial cut.
Ahmed has proved the speed and explosiveness is still in there in the run game, including ripping off some big plays in the two preseason games. However, Ben Johnson challenged Ahmed that in order to make this roster, he’s going to have to contribute on special teams despite only having 110 career special teams snaps.
“If you’ve noticed, he’s been on a lot of stuff,” Hightower said. “He’s made some headway there. He’s done a good job improving. We take a lot of pride in helping guys that haven’t done it… the place is here for you in Chicago. Because we’re going to teach you how to do it. And we’re going to help you learn how to do it, and we’ll correct it when it’s wrong, we’ll show you when it’s right. We’re going to help you extend your career.”
Keyshaun Elliott finding ways to get an edge despite missing so much time on the field
Rookie linebacker Keyshaun Elliott was finally activated off the PUP list on Tuesday after missing essentially the entirety of training camp. It’s hard to think that the fifth-round pick was on the bubble, but the Bears have created a competitive linebacker room and the best ability is always availability.
Thankfully, Elliott has been cleared to finally return and start the ramp up process. On Wednesday, Elliott participated in practice and can finally start building his roster case going into cutdown day. However, even though he missed so much time on the field, that doesn’t mean the rookie hasn’t found a way to get an edge for himself.
“One thing about that kid is he’s dialed in,” Hightower said. “Like, although he hasn’t been on the field, he hasn’t missed a beat in the meeting room and he comes up for extra meeting time. He’s like a machine. Like, he’s in there, ‘coach, I’m in there at six o’clock every other morning. I’m in there at six o’clock. You’re gonna be there? I’m gonna be there.’ I’ll be there. And he’s there with questions and notes and everything. He’s taken full advantage of his time off to try and get better, even though he couldn’t do it physically.”
All three of these players have been catching the attention of the coaching staff in various ways and every little thing counts when it comes to being among the 53. We’ll see how it unfolds over the next few days, but keep all eye on those three guys in particular.
