RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The Chicago Bears have officially wrapped the preseason and are now faced with trimming the roster to 53 players by Sunday night's deadline.
Every year, there are some surprising additions and surprising cuts on initial 53-man rosters across the NFL, and we've seen that with the Bears in the past. While there are a number of players deserving of a spot on the 53-man roster, not everyone can make it, especially in position rooms that are already stacked.
There have been some standout performances for Chicago during training camp and preseason. But will it be enough to earn a coveted roster spot? With roster cuts looming, here are some potential surprise cuts for the Bears.
WR Kaden Davis
Kaden Davis has been the preseason darling for Chicago this summer, and it certainly feels like he's earned himself that final wide receiver roster spot. Davis has impressed in the passing game and has even garnered looks as a returner, which indicates he could be primed for a roster spot. But there have been some other standout performances at receiver, including Maurice Alexander, JP Richardson and Ray-Ray McCloud. Davis certainly feels like one of the safest bets on this list, but there's also a chance that the Bears only carry five wideouts.
RB Roschon Johnson
Roschon Johnson, entering a contract year, has been forgotten in the running back room, but he's made a strong impression in the race for the RB3 spot. Johnson's work with the third-team offense, standout preseason performances and special teams contributions certainly make him the favorite for the spot. But Salvon Ahmed has had a standout training camp and preseason and could challenge for that spot. But it certainly feels like Johnson earned himself a spot on the 53-man roster with an impressive performance in the preseason finale.
CB Terell Smith
Terell Smith has been a dependable reserve in the secondary since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, he suffered a brutal knee injury last preseason that ended his season before it even began. Even with injuries in the secondary, Smith faces an uphill battle for a roster spot in a loaded cornerback group where there is probably just one spot up for grabs. Smith had an impressive preseason finale to make one last impression, but we'll see if that's good enough.
OL Caden Barnett
The Bears landed one of the biggest undrafted free agents in Caden Barnett, who signed a $277,500 deal and a $30,000 signing bonus. Only five UDFA signings received more guaranteed money in their contracts. Barnett, who played both guard and tackle at Wyoming, worked exclusively at right guard with Chicago this summer, and he'll have to beat out fellow guards Jordan McFadden and/or Luke Newman for a coveted roster spot.
DE Jamree Kromah
Sometimes, it's an uphill battle to win a roster spot in a crowded position room. It certainly didn't help Jamree Kromah when Chicago signed veteran Marcus Davenport to add depth at edge rusher. Kromah has been dominant all preseason, and he's shown his potential in this Dennis Allen attacking defense. But it's all about the depth chart with this one. Sometimes, good players just miss the cut, and it feels like Kromah could be one of those. But he's certainly a candidate to return on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
LB Ruben Hyppolite II
It's unclear whether second-year linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II has done enough to earn a roster spot this summer. With T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D'Marco Jackson and rookie Keyshaun Elliott expected to make the cut, that couldn't leave one spot between Hyppolite and Jack Sanborn. We'll see if Hyppolite has done enough to make an impression on the coaching staff.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 6 potential surprise cuts by Bears include preseason standouts
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