Bears post first depth chart — but don’t name a starting kicker

BOURBONNAIS — The Bears have released their first depth chart of the season — but didn’t designate a starting kicker.

Elliott Fry and Eddy Pineiro got the dreaded “OR” treatment on the depth chart, meaning that either could start. Fry presumably was listed first because his name comes first alphabetically. The Bears have said both will kick when the team plays its first preseason game of the year Thursday night against the Panthers at Soldier Field.

For a team returning so many starters, there were no real surprises on the team’s depth chart. Newcomer Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is the only listed starter who didn’t play for the team last year — though center James Daniels and left guard Cody Whitehair are playing new positions.

The Bears’ depth chart typically means little, though — a formality that complies with league rules. Tarik Cohen is listed as the starting running back, for example, with Mike Davis his backup and rookie David Montgomery the third stringer. That doesn’t figure to be the order they enter the game in Week 1, as Cohen is a more versatile piece that can line up anywhere.

Newcomer Cordarrelle Patterson was listed as a second-string receiver and the starting kick returner. Cohen will return punts.

The rest of the depth chart looks like this:

The team held its final practice Tuesday at Olivet Nazarene University before Thursday’s preseason opener against the Panthers at Soldier Field.