Ranking the Bears’ position groups — and predicting every member of the 53-man roster — as the team prepares to whittle its roster down by the Tuesday deadline:
1. Safety (4 keepers)
They’ll make the team: Eddie Jackson, Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks, Kendall Williamson (above).
Closing argument: Williamson played 52% of the special-teams snaps Saturday, forcing a fumble on punt coverage.
The big question: Will Jackson and Brisker miss a beat? The two are hurt but are expected to return by Week 1. Brisker didn’t play a preseason snap and Jackson played 12, all in the first game.
Why they’re ranked here: Jackson was leading all NFC safeties in Pro Bowl voting when he suffered a Lisfranc injury in November, and Brisker, who led the Bears in sacks last season, is among their best young players.
2. Linebacker (6)
They’ll make the team: Tremaine Edmunds (above), T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, Dylan Cole, Mykal Walker.
Closing argument: Sewell hurting his left leg Saturday might have opened the door for Walker, who had 107 tackles for the Falcons last season. He played 10 more special-teams snaps Saturday than rookie Micah Baskerville.
The big question: Will Edmunds be comfortable when the season starts? He played only six preseason snaps after missing practices for most of the month.
Why they’re ranked here: The Bears spent $91.5 million overall — and $67.9 million guaranteed — on Edmunds and Edwards during the offseason.
3. Running back (5)
They’ll make the team: Khalil Herbert (above), D’Onta Foreman, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, FB Khari Blasingame.
Closing argument: Herbert started and had seven carries Saturday. Foreman had eight carries but appeared to hurt the left side of his upper body. Johnson had 28 preseason carries, tied for eighth-most in the NFL.
The big question: Is Herbert the clear No. 1? The Bears will split carries, but Herbert was treated like the starter, getting a quick hook in two preseason games and skipping a third.
Why they’re ranked here: Herbert led all running backs in yards per carry last season. Only four running backs had more rushing yards than Foreman in the last 10 games of last season.
4. Cornerback (6)
They’ll make the team: Jaylon Johnson (above), Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, Josh Blackwell, Terell Smith, Jaylon Jones.
Closing argument: Stevenson played 42 snaps Saturday, the most of any cornerback, was flagged twice and picked off a pass.
The big question: Will Johnson get paid? The Bears are talking to his new agent about a contract extension. The deadline is typically the season opener.
Why they’re ranked here: The three starters are solid and will get better; they’re all 24 or younger.
5. Tight end (3)
They’ll make the team: Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan, Marcedes Lewis (above).
Closing argument: Lewis made his Bears debut Saturday, playing four snaps after spending most of the month building up for his 18th season.
The big question: Who gets the red-zone targets? Kmet had only two touchdown catches in his first 40 games before posting seven in his last 10. Tonyan, to the contrary, has 15 touchdown receptions in his last 31 games.
Why they’re ranked here: All three are proven veterans.
6. Wide receiver (6)
They’ll make the team: DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones (above).
Closing argument: The Bears seemed to cement their roster Friday, when they put Dante Pettis on injured reserve, ending his season. Claypool hasn’t practiced since hurting his hamstring Aug. 9, and Jones has been out since getting hurt during the first joint practice against the Colts on Aug. 16. The Bears expect both back soon.
The big question: Is Jones the punt returner? He was one of the best kick returners in the NFL in 2022 but fumbled two punts last season and one this preseason. Scott might get the first crack.
Why they’re ranked here: Moore is the Bears’ best player, but we need to see whether Mooney’s recovery from a grisly ankle injury translates into production and whether Claypool proves to be reliable before being too optimistic.
7. Specialists (3)
They’ll make the team: K Cairo Santos (above), P Trenton Gill, LS Patrick Scales.
Closing argument: They’ve been unopposed since the team waived kicker Andre Szmyt on Aug. 8.
The big question: Will extra points be a problem again? Santos missed five of his 32 last season — but only two field goals.
Why they’re ranked here: Santos is statistically the most accurate kicker in Bears history, making 89.7% of his field-goal tries with the team.
8. Quarterback (2)
They’ll make the team: Justin Fields, Tyson Bagent (above).
Closing argument: On Saturday, coach Matt Eberflus played Bagent — the undrafted rookie from Division II Shepherd University — before Walker, who was owed $2 million guaranteed on a two-year, $4 million deal. Walker was cut Sunday, ceding the second-string job to Bagent.
The big question: Will the Bears look for a veteran? The Bears could slip Nathan Peterman through waivers and onto the practice squad to give Fields an experienced ear in the locker room, or they could look elsewhere.
Why they’re ranked here: Fields is a thrill-a-minute rusher who needs to become a more competent passer. Walker was awful, and Bagent is inexperienced.
9. Offensive line (9)
They’ll make the team: LT Braxton Jones, LG Teven Jenkins, C Cody Whitehair, RG Nate Davis, RT Darnell Wright, G Ja’Tyre Carter, C/G Lucas Patrick, T Larry Borom, C Doug Kramer (above).
Closing argument: Kramer, who along with Dieter Eiselen can help the Bears as an interior lineman, hurt his right hand Saturday and left in a cast. Three starters sat out. Jenkins is in a walking boot and might miss Week 1. Wright has an injured right ankle and Davis barely has practiced, but Eberflus expects both to be ready for Week 1. Alex Leatherwood was cut Sunday.
The big question: Will they seek outside help? The Bears have the first waiver priority and might add depth at swing tackle or inside — or both.
Why they’re ranked here: They’ve had too many injuries.
10. Defensive line (9)
They’ll make the team: Yannick Ngakoue (above), Andrew Billings, Justin Jones, DeMarcus Walker, Dominique Robinson, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Rasheem Green, Terrell Lewis.
Closing argument: Trevis Gipson had a strip-sack Saturday after requesting a trade. It’s unclear which teams, if any, would trade a late-round pick for someone two years removed from a seven-sack season.
The big question: Did the Bears fix the pass rush? After finishing last in the league in sacks in 2022, they added Ngakoue and Walker, who combined for 16½ sacks last season.
