NEW Chicago Bears 53-Man Roster Projection After 2 NFL Preseason Games

[Music] I'm Harrison Graham on today's episode of Chicago Bears now I take a look at an updated Bears 53 man roster projection Ryan poles told us at the beginning of training camp it's going to be tough to make this roster I think we're seeing that play out so here's my latest attempt to come up with the 53 let's start with quarterback I de baited back and forth do you keep Brett ripping on the 53 do you just roll with two guys I I'm sticking with just two for now um we only saw rippen play one Series in the third pre season game I think it's clearly a gap there still between bent and rippen in the Bears eyes on who the backup is bent young they've invested into him uh so I'm going to go Caleb and Tyson as the two guys on the 53 not ready to include rip at this time could that change possibly um but I also think the Bears might feel like they can get him back to the practice squad as well uh where his real value is in that QB room on the sideline in those meetings and with the new rules this year you can have a practice squad quarterback dress on game days and if your top two QBs get hurt the third guy off the practice squad can go in and play and not count against the game day roster so I think that's ideally what the Bears are going to try to do this year what do you guys think should Brett rippen make the 53 man roster type why for yes typee in for no whether or not he should remains to be seen but uh I certainly have enjoyed what I've seen from him so far and uh I certainly wouldn't rule it out I just think right now I have him on the outside looking in this is where things get interesting running back DeAndre Swift khil Herbert for now I still think a trade Could Happen Roshan Johnson I'm going to list veis Jones Jr with the running back grouping here but I still think he'll he he has the ability to play some receiver obviously as well and I think the Bears giving him reps at running back is to try to increase his value on this roster because if they are set on him being the kick returner if he could play at least some receiver and running back obviously he's not going to run the full route tree obviously they're not going to play him a ton of snaps at receiver probably not a ton at running back but if he could give you 10 snaps a game offensively six or seven at running back back three to five at receiver you know that gives him value Beyond just being a good kickoff returner so uh I think if if he shows continued progress at running back they'll keep him on this team and look I thought about keeping Travis Homer for now I don't have a spot form and also I think a notable cut here too that I have is Ki blasen game which means the Bears would not carry a fullback and in the preseason while he's played some it hasn't been a lot and Shane Waldren didn't really have a utilize a fullback last year if they ran ey formation they had a tight end to line up at fullback which the Bears could easily do stay tuned for tight end uh but uh I think there's a variety of reasons for this I think going heavier at tight end has more value on special teams with this new kickoff rule than what blasen game could bring so I think there's a chance that Ki gets cut here let's go to wide receiver I'm actually just going to go five right now because veis is that sixth guy right see again he can play some receiver he knows the position he's not great at it but if you need him to go out there and line up and block and run some routes for you he can at least do that DJ Moore Keenan Allen romad dun Tyler Scott Colin Johnson and again I think the Bears might look at this thing like okay veis gives us one body to be a depth piece for two positions so I think they could get away with this number I don't have DeAndre Carter making it right now I need to see more he hasn't done much within the offense um I haven't seen him make a big impact as a punt returner yet either so I think right now you can live without having him you could line someone else at punt return or Josh Blackwell could do that maybe romad dun does it some we'll see obviously I'd like to have a steady and dynamic presence as my punt returner but if Carter is not going to be dynamic well maybe they just find someone else to go catch the ball when punts go out there because um if he's not going to be a weapon there what's what's really the point if he's not giving you much on offense all right tight end I'm going to go four here this is the first time I've gone beyond three couple reasons one uh obviously kit Gerald ever marcedes Lewis they're all making the team but one we've seen Shane Waldren use tight ends in the preseason he clearly values the position if you look at his time in Seattle too and even with McVey in Los Angeles those offenses always like having multiple tight ends we saw uh plenty of plays on Saturday with both Cole KT and Gerald Everett in there at the same time Mercedes lewiis SP a a little bit older and again if you cut Cari I think having a fourth tight end makes sense where you can line a guy up at fullback and Tommy Sweeney is 65 255 pounds I thought about uh Brendan Bates which we'll get to my practice some practice squad potential names here as well the udfa out of Kentucky but Sweeny's got experience I think he's looked the best out of that depth group in the preseason better than Steven Carlson and Brendan Bates five catches 76 yards and a touchdown um and he's a big physical guy and with this new kickoff rule it requires having big bodies guys who can set blocks and hit people um not saying Ki can't do that but he's not as big he's not as long he can't reach uh as many guys out there so keeping that fourth tied end could be valuable and you know if he can be 85% of the fullback Ki blasen game is then you know you probably live with that 15% you're losing there because you're not going to have a fullback on the field a ton anyway for being completely honest who do you think makes this roster could be neither could be both who would you rather keep type KB for KI blasen game Ts for Tommy Sweeney it's not about what I would rather do it's what I'm thinking they're going to do right now and I think going heavier at tight end is something they might consider uh as well so I'm going to type my ts I like Ki uh but they just haven't utilized him much they didn't use him much with gsy either so uh we'll see where it goes uh but uh certainly both guys have a chance here offensive line uh I've we got nine guys we'll get to Karan in a second but um left side is my projected starters for now from left to right Braxton Tevin Jenkins uh I think they settle with Coleman Shelton at Center Ryan Bates at Right Guard but either way they're both going to make the team Darnell r at right tackle I still think Nate Davis makes this team almost no matter what because there's no Financial benefit to cutting him Matt prior makes it as well he's already shown his value both as a tackle and guard uh I've had Larry borm not make it on my last uh projection but I think with amag AI not being ready to go I think you keep Borum for now and then jye Carter uh he's kind of your last depth interior guy uh who makes it once again and then Reserve list which is kind of a phrase of this new rule rookie Karan amagazi who won't wouldn't count against your initial 53 Assuming he's still not healthy yet which as of now that appears to be the case uh remember the competition committee announced this to to permit each Club to place a maximum of two players who are placed on an applicable Reserve list on the business day of the final roster reduction to be designated for return such players will immediately count as two of the club's total designation so you have two spots where the day uh of cut down day you can declare as guys who essentially go on short-term IR designated to return before if you knew guys were hurt and weren't going to be ready week one and you had to put on my short-term IR you had to carry them on your initial 50 three and then bring them back the next day essentially um place them on IR then you could cut bring someone back that you cut but there was always a risk that someone you cut got claimed so I think amagi starts on this list uh I don't think he'll be ready week one and even if technically he is fully cleared I could see the Bears still putting him on this list because he just needs practice and he needs to rant back up he hasn't he hasn't played in a football game since October and that was at Yale like there's already going to be a learning curve just from getting him from the IV League up to the NFL so I think this is a perfect rule designation for him put him on this Reserve list and uh you can carry someone else through your initial 53 all right we are sponsored by rocket money here on Chicago Bears now shout out to Rocket money for sponsoring Today's Show and if you're looking to stay on top of your finances and scale back on your spending rocket money is going to 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got him making it I Jacob Martin as a fifth defensive end now he's been banged up he could also be a candidate to start on the reserve list but I think he could be back before week one so I've got him as my ninth guy right now but the defensive line depth is tough to figure out got khed Kareem in the mix Daniel Hardy do they sign a veteran or trade for somebody um I think after you get Beyond those top six who like I said are locks it's kind of still up for grab so we'll see where it goes we'll see how many guys they keep do they go lighter at defensive tackle initially then maybe claim someone off waivers after cut down day I think that's possible but uh yeah we'll see uh where things progress from here what do you guys think though will the Bears sign or trade for a defensive lineman Type S for sign or P for pass still think it's possible but I also think they like what Austin Booker and some of these other guys have shown where they're going to be patient and kind of see where this thing goes little bit uh different look at linebacker here I'm going to go five which is the number I've been throwing out there but uh obviously your top three TJ Edwards trand Edmonds Jack Sor aan o makes the team as a special teamer he also played better this week at linebacker that was encouraging Michel Baskerville was the Bear's highest graded player per PFF last week now when you have a nice pick six that's going to going to help but I like how he plays man he's got a safety background he can cover well um good enough tackler I think he's worth investing into and Noah su's banged up so um I've got him as that second Reserve list guy right now I'm not sure what his status is but maybe you sneak him onto there if he's not ready to go and uh you know you've got him and amaji on that short-term ir and you you see how the early part of the Season plays out but I think Baskerville can can give you some juice on special teams can be a solid backup so I'm rooting for him uh they brought him in as a udfa last year was on the practice squad did some good good things in training camp and he's doing it again this year so let's see if that continues Corner uh probably the deepest position group on this team I'm going seven man uh Jaylen Johnson Tyreek Stevenson Kyler Gordon Terrell Smith Jaylen Jones who's played some with the starters due to injuries he's looked pretty good Josh Blackwell who's in the mix at punt return as well he's one of your core special teamers and then Greg strowman Jr who I know for a fact they like for him it's going to come down to can he play well enough on special teams they're deep at corner man that doesn't even include Leon Jones and ready Stewart two rookie udfas who I mentioned on a recent show could they be sneaky replacements for Blackwell and Jaylen Jones I think Jaylen Jones is safe for sure though he's played a lot uh with the starters uh Blackwell if he's in the mix of punt returner probably makes it also uh Greg strowman's kind of that guy like does he make it do they keep six instead of seven we'll see but lot lot of guys they like at that position and guys I like too so we'll see how they manage that subscribe to the channel Bears football is back and we are publishing daily content for you guys trying to get to 97,000 Subs here on the channel as soon as possible the road to 100K is here if you want daily covered for free hit that sub button all right five safeties so yeah that's 12 defensive backs that feels like a lot I think in the end that probably will be too many uh but uh that's what I have today by fired and brisker is your starters Jonathan Owens your number three guy Elijah Hicks who looks improved uh plus plays on special teams and quindell Johnson he's a good special teamer as well uh I think five safeties is The Sweet Spot they could go four maybe they pick Hicks or Johnson but uh I think five is where you go here and then you got your three Specialists Cairo Santos is your kicker Tory Taylor is your punter and uh of course Patrick scales is the Long Snapper before we get to some practice squad names uh drop a name in the comments name a player that seems seems to be on the roster bubble that you would like to make this team the guy I'm rooting for is Micah Baskerville I think he's earned it I get the Bears are good at linebacker but two off seasons in a row now he's done good things like he's earned a roster spot I think now I get it good players get squeezed out and like Ryan Paul said it's going to be tough to make this team but I mean he's shown you more since Noah Su they were both rookies last year I think basille's looked better su's hurt right now not saying you cut Su you can put them on the reserve list but but you know at some point like just cuz you drafted a guy like you know you you got to keep the guys who deserve it and I feel like Baskerville has all right some practice squad candidates here uh I think both your quarterbacks that didn't make it on the 53 Brett rip and Austin Reed are guys I'd like to keep around ripping is kind of that veteran presence Reed is that rookie udfa that you can develop a little bit Ian wheeler I he was close to making my projected roster but running back so crowded right now certainly would want him back on the 53 if he does or on the practice squad if he doesn't make the 53 I'd like to keep DeAndre Carter around if he doesn't make the team because you know if you're having issues at punt returner you could Elevate him on game day or maybe you call him up to the 53 later in the season Simo Webster they like I think they'd keep him around in the practice squad we'll see if they'd keep Dante Pettis but he's another player as well Brendan Bates I think he's a perfect practice squad candidate physical player has shown some nice things you could put him there Bill Murray the offensive lineman has done some good things in Camp so is Doug Kramer Kramer graded out well this past Saturday against the bills against you know third stringers mostly but I think that's worth keeping around on a practice squad it's nice having a guy who could call up in a pinch and play some Center Jake Curran is kind of a practice squad swing tap tackle type uh Keith Randolph Jr we haven't heard much about him in camping in the preseason but if they want to develop a local kid I'd be cool with that Daniel Hardy thought about keeping him on the 53 but uh if not I think him and C Kareem could be practice squad guys Adrien Colbert he's on that bubble too and then Leon Jones and ready Stewart if they don't make the 53 would certainly like to keep them around and uh see if they can do something on the practice squad all right there you have it my latest 53 man roster projection we'll probably do one more of these uh before cut down day and then of course uh once the real roster comes out we will uh react to that as well my name is Harrison Graham be sure to subscribe for more content and we'll see you guys soon [Music]