The Chicago Bears, along with all 31 other teams, must submit their final 53-man rosters by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
Following a 4-0 preseason record, Ryan Poles and the Bears staff are hunkering down to make their roster as perfect as possible with what they have.
With being limited to a 53-man roster, there will certainly be players who are good enough to make the team but won’t make it due to the position they play and the depth the team currently has.
3 Bears Players Who Could Be Surprise Cuts
Collin Johnson, WR
In the Hall of Fame game between Chicago and Houston, Collin Johnson was one of the most trending names within Halas Hall.
Johnson caught three passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns in approximately a half of play since the game was canceled due to weather in the third quarter.
Are we sure the broadcast is saying Collin Johnson? pic.twitter.com/cKINDJhzv1
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) August 2, 2024
The Bears have a crowded receiver room, and Johnson has had a quiet preseason aside from his game against Houston. His name is likely to be passed up for other players at the position.
After Dante Pettis’ performance against the Chiefs to wrap up the preseason, he likely grabbed the final wide receiver spot on the team. Pettis can also serve as a return specialist, making him more well-rounded than Johnson.
While his performance was impressive against the Texans, Johnson’s lack of productivity across the preseason as a whole makes it less likely for him to make the final roster.
Dominique Robinson, DE
While the Bears aren’t a team with a lot of pass rushers, Dominique Robinson is a player who could be one of the final cuts.
Players like Austin Booker and Daniel Hardy have had strong enough preseasons this year to give Chicago reason to believe they’re the ones worthy of roster spots.
The Bears also traded for EDGE Darrell Taylor, who has spent the last three seasons with Seattle, accumulating 91 tackles, 34 QB hits, and 21.5 sacks.
For a team with a dire need at the pass rusher spot, Taylor will be tallied as one of the 53 players to make this team.
Robinson has been a rotational piece for the Bears for the past two seasons after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but with how well the other players at this position are developing, his time in Chicago could be coming to an end.
Jonathan Owens, S
The third and final player who could be a surprise cut for the Bears is 29-year-old safety Jonathan Owens. This is a tougher choice to make, though all decisions on concocting a perfect 53-man roster in the NFL are difficult.
In the secondary, the Bears have a lot more depth at cornerback than safety. If they choose to go heavy at corner due to the talent they have at the position, Owens could be an odd man out.
Owens is battling with Elijah Hicks, another backup safety, and there’s a strong possibility that only one of these players will make the final roster.
Hicks has been with Chicago since 2022, making eight total starts. While no interceptions have come in his eight starts, Hicks has both a familiarity with the defense and actual playing time under head coach Matt Eberflus in games with real consequences.