On Tuesday, which was NFL cut-down day, the initial version of the Bears’ 2024 roster was decided.
There were few shocks in the Bears’ 53-man starting lineup.
Velus Jones Jr., a wide receiver and running back, joined the squad in what is probably his last opportunity to establish himself as a dependable NFL player who helps win football.
The Bears retained six defensive ends, Daniel Hardy and Dominique Robinson among them. The Bears were forced to cut fullback Khari Blasingame’s contract in order to retain that many pass rushers. But once long-snapper Patrick Scales is placed on injured reserve, Blasingame is expected to return. Scales is anticipated to be out for more than a month due to a back condition.
Following the release of backup long snapper Cameron Lyons on Tuesday, the Bears will probably host tryouts at Halas Hall in the next few days. Another member of the original 53-man group will be excused after they discover the right replacement for Scales.
With rookie quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way and an explosive core of skill players that includes wide receivers DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze, running back D’Andre Swift, and tight ends Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, the 2024 Bears roster comes into the season with higher expectations. Together with one of the NFL’s top back sevens, this defense is on the rise, and the result is a club that should challenge for a postseason berth this autumn.
But even as the Bears get ready to kick off a much-anticipated season, they still have two significant roster vacancies.
Throughout camp, the offensive line has been battered. Darnell Wright, Coleman Shelton, Teven Jenkins, Braxton Jones, and Nate Davis make up the Bears’ “best five” going into the first week of play. If guard Ryan Bates wasn’t hurt, that group could look different, but he is projected to miss at least the first week of the season due to a shoulder ailment.
The Bears retained third-year offensive lineman Doug Kramer as their backup center while Bates healed from an injury. While Larry Borom recovers from an ankle injury sustained in the preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Pryor will start at swing tackle. Borom was placed on injured reserve by the Bears with an expected return date. After Week 4, he’ll be able to return.
The main unidentified factor in the strategy to turn Williams into a superstar is the Bears’ offensive line. It’s an above-average group, but for the Bears to consider it a solid squad, Jenkins and Davis must remain healthy and receive the requisite elevation from Jones and Wright on the edges. Williams’ rookie season might go a little more awry than anticipated if the Bears lose one or two of their starters to injury.
