Chicago Bears Official 53-Man Roster Predictions
Training camp has just wrapped up, which means it’s almost time for the Bears to finalize their 53-man roster for the 2026 season.
Because of the competitive camp and the Bears’ talented roster, they’ll have some difficult decisions to make.
I decided I would help Ryan Poles and the Bears’ front office by handing them my version of the 53-man roster.
Quarterbacks // 3
Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum
To no one’s surprise, I have the Bears running back their quarterback trio from last year. Caleb Williams is and has been the obvious starter in Chicago since the day he was drafted. I’m so excited to see what he can do in year-2 under Ben Johnson.
Ever since Tyson Bagent beat out P.J. Walker for the backup role in 2023, he’s never looked back. The D-2 QB has proved he can play for a long time in this league, and one day he might have an opportunity to start elsewhere. Keenum is returning for his second year with the Bears. He’s a vital member of the QB room because of his experience and leadership.
Running Backs // 4
D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, Roschon Johnson, Salvon Ahmed
Last year, Ben Johnson kept just three backs, but I couldn’t leave out Roschon or Ahmed. Roschon has been here for 4 years and has proven capable when his name is called. Ahmed had an excellent training camp and flashed his explosiveness in the preseason with a 49-yard receiving touchdown.
The Swift-Monangai duo, paired with depth pieces like Roschon and Ahmed, has me ready to run the rock.
Wide Receivers // 6
Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, Kalif Raymond, Jahdae Walker, Zavion Thomas, Kaden Davis
The Bears’ top 5 receivers are locked into their spots, but the 6th spot is up for grabs. The guys competing for the spot are Kaden Davis, Maurice Alexander, and Scotty Miller. I went with Davis because of the spectacular plays he made in training camp. It felt like I saw a new Kaden Davis highlight on my Twitter (X) timeline every other day.
As far as the other guys, I’m most looking forward to watching Luther Burden III. Burden III only saw 60 targets as a rookie, but still managed 652 yards and was 7th in yards per route run with 2.34. Call me crazy, but I think Burden III can be a top 10 receiver in the league. His movement skills after the catch are second-to-none, making him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
Tight Ends // 3
Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Sam Roush
In my opinion, the Bears have the best tight end group in the NFL. Colston Loveland proved to be a top-5 caliber tight end with insane receiver-like traits. Cole Kmet is a true professional who can block and catch TDs.
Then there’s the 3rd-round rookie Sam Roush. Roush was a surprise pick for the Bears, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play. He’s a big human being who’s physical as a blocker and athletic with the ball in his hands.
O-Line // 10
Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson, Darnell Wright, Ozzy Trapilo, Theo Benedet, Luke Newman, Logan Jones, Jordan McFadden
The Bears have eight returning offensive linemen from last year’s team, including four of the five starters. It’s weird to see consistency on the O-line in Chicago.
Ozzy is really the only questionable name on this list. After suffering from a patellar tendon tear in January, Trapilo rapidly recovered and was recently activated off the PUP list. I’m guessing he’ll be good to go, but if not, Jedrick Wills Jr. or Kiran Amegadjie would likely take his place.
D-Line // 10
Montez Sweat, Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., Austin Booker, Dayo Odeyingbo, Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, Daniel Hardy, Jordan Van Dan Berg, Marcus Davenport
If the Bears decide to go with 10 defensive linemen like they did last year, this should be the group. As we all know, the Bears’ defensive line has been putrid under Ryan Poles. Hopefully the new veteran additions in Gallimore, Street, and Davenport can make a positive impact.
And the 6th-round rookie Jordan Van Dan Berg is going to surprise a lot of people (well, not Bears fans because we’re already obsessed with him). He’s been causing havoc throughout training camp and even earned some reps with the starters.
Linebackers // 5
T.J. Edwards, Devin Bush, D’Marco Jackson, Jack Sanborn, Rueben Hyppolite
I’m very intrigued by this linebacker group. Edwards is an awesome veteran player. Bush is extremely talented and possesses some elite speed. Jackson was great when he stepped in last year.
And… THE SANGOD IS BACK. I missed watching Jack Sanborn play football. He’s back where he belongs.
Cornerbacks // 5
Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Malik Muhammed, Josh Blackwell, Jaylon Jones
The Bears ran with six CBs last season, but I held them to five without Kyler Gordon. Gordon has been dealing with a soft tissue injury in his hamstring for a while now, and Ben Johnson has grown frustrated, handing out one-word answers when asked about Gordon’s return. I concluded that we can’t count on him to be healthy, so I’m sure he’ll start the season on the IR.
Rookie Malik Muhammed will take Gordon’s place as the starting nickel. While the rookie primarily played on the outside at Texas, he’s got the tools and athleticism to play inside. Unfortunately, there will be some growing pains.
Safeties // 4
Dillon Thieneman, Xavier Woods, Cam Lewis, Elijah Hicks
The safety room was looking sensational until Coby Bryant went down with a knee injury. Now the Bears’ starters will be rookie Dillon Thieneman and one of the veterans. Thieneman is a talented player, but like Muhammed, he will take some time to adjust to the NFL. As fans, we’ll have to remain patient while the kid figures it out. And when he does, watch out, quarterbacks, DT’s coming for you,
Special Teams // 3
Cairo Santos (K), Tory Taylor (P), Beau Gardner (LS)
Cairo Santos and Tory Taylor return once again for the Bears with a new face at long snapper. Beau Gardner is an undrafted rookie from Georgia, and he’s replacing Scott Daly as the LS.
The special teams unit should be just as good as it was a year ago.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m so ready for some Chicago Bears football! The season starts in just a few weeks.
So if you don’t know them already, familiarize yourselves with these names, because they’ll be contributing to the Bears’ special season.
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