Chicago Bears: Grading the Strength of Every Position Unit Before Camps Begin
The Chicago Bears went a disappointing 13-19 between 2013 and 2014, and the organization got rid of head coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery earlier this offseason.
In an attempt to become more competitive in 2015, new general manager Ryan Pace added over 40 new players to Chicago's roster via free agency and the draft.
Some position groups got stronger from last season to this season, while other groups appear to have gotten weaker. The Bears currently have 90 players on the roster, but as training camp moves along, that number will be trimmed from 90 down to 53 before the start of the regular season.
Just ahead, we take a look at each position group and assign a grade from A to F based off depth at the position, the track record of players at the position and how much potential each position group has.
Quarterback
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The 2015 season will be Jay Cutler's seventh year with the Bears, and at this point in his career, we all know who he is as a quarterback.
Cutler can be careless with the football and struggles with his decision-making, but he has a terrific arm and occasionally shows flashes of his potential. When he has a clean pocket and understands his limitations, he is a more than serviceable NFL quarterback, but when he is pressured, he struggles with his mechanics and gets careless with the football.
Cutler thrived at times in Trestman's West Coast offense, but Trestman's play-calling became predictable last season. The veteran quarterback was benched in Week 16 in favor of Jimmy Clausen, but he returned to the starting lineup the following week.
New offensive coordinator Adam Gase had success calling plays in Denver the last two seasons, and Cutler could find new life playing under Gase if he can play within the system.
Limiting mistakes and protecting the ball will be the key for Cutler this season, and Gase said that is something he needs to help Cutler with, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune:
"Well, I think he'd be the first one to tell you we've got to get better in that area. I know this: you don't want to overemphasize it because then everybody starts thinking about it and the next thing you know, you start turning it over. I learned that lesson in 2013. We kept talking about it and talking about it, and we kept turning the ball over.
So, one of the things we have to do is, you practice it in individual, and you let those drills work for you. And I think more times than not it works out the right way.
"
If the former Vanderbilt standout can limit his mistakes, he has a chance to have one of his best seasons playing for Gase.
Clausen will enter the season as the team's No. 2 quarterback, and he proved in his one start last season he can be a serviceable backup. He completed 26 of his 48 passing attempts for 223 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
In the end, Chicago's quarterback duo received an average grade because of Cutler's potential in this system and Clausen's ability to be a serviceable backup.
Grade: C
Running Back
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In 2015, Gase is going to have a bevy of options to choose from in the running game.
Two-time Pro Bowler Matt Forte is entering his eighth NFL season and shows no signs of slowing down. He finished last season with 1,038 rushing yards on 266 carries with six rushing touchdowns, and he also hauled in 102 passes for 808 yards with four receiving touchdowns.
Forte has averaged 1,100 rushing yards per season in his career, and he will once again be a focal point on offense for the Bears.
Even though Forte will carry the brunt of the load on offense, the Bears plan on using multiple running backs this season.
"We've always been believers in kind of a one-two punch and rolling guys through there whether it's the defensive line; a wave of those guys to stay fresh," said head coach John Fox, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. "I've always had the approach the same thing with running backs."
The Bears added Jacquizz Rodgers and Daniel Thomas in free agency and drafted Jeremy Langford in the fourth round of this year's draft to compete with Ka'Deem Carey and Senorise Perry to be Forte's backup.
Chicago will keep either three or four running backs on the roster this season, meaning it will cut at least two of them.
Rodgers is an excellent third-down back who excels in pass protection, and his spot on the roster appears to be safe. Thomas is a north-south runner who is good in short-yardage situations, and he also possesses good hands out of the backfield.
Langford is a speedy back who knows how to get to the edge and turn up the field, while Carey and Perry are both north-south runners with limited NFL experience.
Carey finished his rookie year last season with just 36 carries despite being the team's primary No. 2 running back. Perry spent part of the year as the team's return man, but he lost his job and was used primarily as a gunner on special teams the rest of the year.
Chicago's running back corps may end up being one of the team's strongest groups on offense this season. Forte is a proven NFL commodity, and he should be just as productive this season as he has been throughout his career.
Rodgers and Thomas are not flashy players, but they know how to pick up yards when needed. Carey and Langford both have a lot of upside and potential, while Perry is a solid option on special teams.
Because of Forte's productivity and Langford and Carey's potential, the running back corps received one of the highest grades on offense.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver
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No group on offense has more potential for the Bears than the wide receiver corps.
Chicago traded former Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall to the New York Jets in early March for a fifth-round pick, and the Bears added veteran Eddie Royal in free agency and drafted Kevin White with the seventh overall pick to replace him.
Fourth-year man Alshon Jeffery will be Chicago's No. 1 wide receiver this season, and the Bears will lean heavily on the young receiver in 2015. He is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, and he has a chance to put up big numbers in Gase's system.
Royal will slide into the slot receiver position this season, and the former Denver Bronco and San Diego Charger had the best season of his career playing with Cutler in Denver in 2008. Royal finished the 2008 season with 91 catches for 980 yards and five touchdowns. Since that season, Royal has not topped 778 receiving yards or 62 catches.
The veteran receiver has good hands and works well in the middle of the field.
White is a speedy receiver who knows how to get open down the field, but he is also a threat in the screen game. He has good hands and is a strong receiver, but he will need to become a better route-runner in the NFL.
Third-year man Marquess Wilson was expected to have a big role last season on offense, but he broke his clavicle in training camp and missed the first nine games of the season. Even though he may appear to be a forgotten man on offense with the additions of Royal and White, Wilson is still working hard this offseason.
“You’ve got to prove yourself no matter what,” Wilson said, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “I don’t really feel like I’m a forgotten man. I just gotta come out where and work like everybody else.”
Jeffery, Royal, White and Wilson will be the team's top four receivers on the depth chart this season, and the final spot will likely go to someone who can return kicks, like Marc Mariani or Levi Norwood.
Jeffery is a former Pro Bowler hitting the prime of his career, Royal is a reliable veteran who can make plays in the middle of the field, White is a top-10 draft pick with dangerous speed and Wilson has the potential to develop into a reliable fourth option.
Because of its upside and potential, the wide receiver corps received the highest grade on offense.
Grade: A
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Tight End
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Tight end Martellus Bennett hauled in 90 catches for 916 yards with six touchdowns last year and was named to his first Pro Bowl following the 2014 season.
Bennett is a big target (6'6", 265 lbs) in the passing game, and he is one of Cutler's most reliable options in the middle of the field. He is arguably one of the best receiving tight ends in the league, and he held out of Chicago's voluntary minicamp and OTAs earlier this year in hopes of securing a new contract.
He returned for the team's mandatory minicamp in June and explained why he did not attend any of the team's offseason programs.
“I’m always working on a new contract," Bennett said, according to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. "That’s everything. It’s all sides of business.”
Bennett still has two years remaining on the four-year, $20.4 million contract he signed back in 2013, and he is expected to be with the team when training camp opens up next week.
After Bennett, the talent level drops off significantly behind him at the position.
Zach Miller, Dante Rosario and Bear Pascoe are considered to be the front-runners for the final two spots on the roster behind Bennett.
Miller showed flashes of his potential last preseason, but he suffered a Lisfranc injury in the second preseason game and was lost for the year. He signed a one-year deal this offseason and will have to prove he can stay healthy.
He has strong hands and is a threat in the red zone, but he is a below-average blocker.
Rosario and Pascoe are not considered to be real threats in the passing game, but both are accomplished blockers. Rosario is better in the running game, but Pascoe is a better all-around tight end.
Bennett is one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league, but the team lacks depth and talent behind him. If Miller can prove he can stay healthy, the position group's overall grade would go up, but because of the question marks surrounding his ability to stay healthy, the group finished with an average overall grade.
Grade: C+
Offensive Line
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Chicago's offensive line was one of the team's strengths in 2013, but the group took a step back last season.
Each starter along the offensive line in 2014 missed at least one game due to injury, but at least three of them will be returning to the starting lineup in 2015.
Jermon Bushrod missed two games last season, but he will once again be the team's starter at left tackle this year. Matt Slauson tore his pectoral muscle five games into the 2014 season and missed the final 11 games of the year.
Kyle Long missed one game last season due to a hip injury, and the two-time Pro Bowl guard could be moving to right tackle this offseason. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Long was used at right tackle during OTAs, but the Bears have not announced whether or not the move will be permanent.
Veteran center Will Montgomery signed a one-year deal with the Bears this offseason after the team released veteran Roberto Garza. Montgomery is the front-runner for the starting center job, but 2015 third-round pick Hroniss Grasu could push him.
Grasu is an athletic center who moves well in space, and at worst, he gives the Bears depth at both center and guard.
Jordan Mills was Chicago's starter at right tackle in 2013 and 2014, but he could get pushed to the inside if Long is permanently moved to right tackle during training camp.
The Bears have four capable starters in Bushrod, Slauson, Long and Montgomery, but the depth behind those four is unproven.
Guards Michael Ola and Ryan Groy both made starts for the Bears last season along the offensive line, but both are still raw and need to get stronger. Chicago signed Vladimir Ducasse to a one-year deal this offseason, but the former New York Jet and Minnesota Viking has struggled as a starter throughout his career.
2014 seventh-round pick Charles Leno and 2015 sixth-round pick Tayo Fabuluje have potential, but they need to improve their technique.
Long is undoubtedly the best offensive lineman on the roster, and Slauson is an underappreciated player, but the rest of the roster has a lot of question marks.
Bushrod struggled at times last season, Montgomery lacks athleticism and Grasu is unproven at the NFL level.
The offensive line has a chance to bounce back in 2015, but the lack of depth hurts the group's overall grade.
Grade: C+
Defensive Line
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Veteran Jeremiah Ratliff and former Washington Redskin Jarvis Jenkins are the only two defensive linemen on Chicago's roster who have played in a 3-4 defense before.
Ratliff played nose tackle in a 3-4 defense during his time with the Dallas Cowboys, and Jenkins played the 5-technique defensive end position in Washington's 3-4 defense from 2012 to 2014.
Ratliff is a good pass-rusher who knows how to apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks, and he is also a stout run defender. Jenkins struggled as a pass-rusher in Washington, but he was reliable against the run. His experience in a 3-4 makes him a good fit in Chicago's new defense.
Ratliff and Jenkins will have significant roles this season in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme, but there are a lot of question marks surrounding the remaining defensive linemen on the roster.
2014 draft picks Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton are making the move from 4-3 defensive tackle to 3-4 defensive end this offseason, while 2015 second-round pick Eddie Goldman will have to prove he can handle playing the 0-technique nose tackle position.
Ferguson is a good run defender and is strong at the point of attack, but he will have to prove he can play in a two-gap system. Sutton is an explosive lineman who has the ability to collapse the pocket and get after the quarterback, but he needs to improve against the run.
Goldman is a good fit at the nose tackle position because of his ability to be a two-gap player, but he has to prove he can be a consistent threat against the run.
Ratliff is the best defensive lineman on the roster, but Goldman, Ferguson and Sutton all have potential. Jenkins is an experienced veteran, but he is an average-at-best defensive end.
The defensive line could end up being a pleasant surprise this season if Goldman, Ferguson and Sutton live up to their potential, but as it currently stands, the group is one of the team's weakest heading into training camp.
Grade: D+
Outside Linebacker
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Of the seven outside linebackers on Chicago's roster, only two have ever played the position.
Chicago signed Pernell McPhee to a long-term contract this offseason, and the former Baltimore Raven is expected to anchor the team's outside linebacker position.
In four seasons with the Ravens, McPhee registered 92 tackles, 17 sacks, seven pass deflections and three forced fumbles. He was used primarily as a pass-rushing specialist, but he will get the chance to be an every-down player in Chicago. He is just 26 years old, and he is one of Chicago's most important pieces on defense.
McPhee is guaranteed to be a starter at one of the two starting outside linebacker positions, but the other position is currently wide open.
During the coming weeks, Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, Willie Young, Sam Acho, David Bass and Kyle Woestmann will all be competing to be a starter alongside McPhee.
Acho is the only linebacker in that group who has played in a 3-4 defense before, but he may have a difficult time making the roster because of all the competition at the position.
Allen is one of the NFL's most accomplished pass-rushers, but he will be playing out of a two-point stance this season for the first time in his career. Even though all of Allen's success has come while playing defensive end, he has enjoyed the move to outside linebacker this offseason.
“I know it’s just OTAs, but being out there and seeing the one-on-one matchups that I’ve been able to create and the rush angles I’ve been able to create…it’s kind of broadening my perspective on football,” Allen said in June, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “For me, it’s been a blast.”
Allen has the right attitude, but there is no way of knowing how well he is going to perform until he steps out onto the field during the regular season.
Houston and Young are both recovering from season-ending injuries they suffered in 2014, and the Bears have not said whether or not the two will be full participants during training camp.
Bass is an intriguing player because of his athleticism, but he will have to prove he can be reliable when asked to drop into coverage. Woestmann played defensive end and some outside linebacker at Vanderbilt, but the undrafted free agent is going to have a difficult time making the team.
McPhee's addition this offseason helped add some stability to the position, but there are just too many question marks surrounding the position to feel comfortable with giving it more than a below-average grade.
Because of the question marks surrounding Houston and Young's health, as well as the question marks surrounding Allen and Bass' ability to play out of a two-point stance, the outside linebacker corps tied with the defensive line for the lowest grade on defense.
Grade: D+
Inside Linebacker
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The Bears signed veteran Mason Foster to a one-year deal this offseason to compete for one of the team's open inside linebacker jobs with Christian Jones, Jon Bostic and Shea McClellin.
Foster is the most experienced inside linebacker on the roster, and he registered 343 tackles, six sacks, 12 pass deflections and five interceptions in 57 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The former University of Washington standout plays well against the run, has the ability to drop back in pass coverage and has a knack for making big plays. He should be one of the team's starters at inside linebacker this season, but Bostic could push him.
Bostic was forced into a starting role in his rookie season in 2013 and struggled, but he showed flashes of his potential last season. He is a good downhill run defender, but he struggles in pass coverage.
Jones burst onto the scene last year, registering 69 tackles and two sacks as an undrafted free agent. He is quick and athletic, but he is also strong and powerful at the point of attack. He has the speed to keep up with most running backs and tight ends in the passing game, but he needs to work on his technique.
Jones has the ability to rush the passer, and he is a front-runner for one of the starting jobs alongside Foster.
McClellin is moving to his third different position in four years this offseason, but the coaching staff is high on his abilities.
"When he came out of college, he was a versatile guy," Fangio said this offseason, according to Wiederer. "He played a lot of different positions. Maybe now it's time to lock him down."
McClellin was a 4-3 defensive end in 2012 and 2013 and moved to strong-side linebacker last season. His skill set translates well to the inside in a 3-4 defense because of his ability to play in space. He needs to improve against the run, but he could become a threat as a pass-rusher from the inside.
Chicago is not loaded with premier talent at the inside linebacker position, but it does have four players capable of being starters. Foster is a proven veteran who can help anchor the position, while Jones has a lot of upside. Bostic is a good fit because of his ability to be a downhill run defender, and McClellin is a bit of a wild card because of his skill set.
The position is not Chicago's strongest, but it is also not the team's weakest on defense.
Grade: C-
Cornerback
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After a rocky 2014 season, Chicago's cornerback corps is looking to bounce back in a big way in 2015.
Kyle Fuller recorded three interceptions in the team's first three games last year, but he struggled near the end of the season. Two-time Pro Bowler Tim Jennings struggled throughout much of the season and finished the year without recording an interception for the first time since 2007.
Fuller struggled playing off coverage last season in defensive coordinator Mel Tucker's scheme, but his physicality lends well to Fangio's defense. He knows he did some good things last season, but he also knows there is a lot he still needs to work on.
“I did a lot of good things but a lot of things I could be better at,” Fuller said, according to Biggs. “Just be a better player. I was learning, and the second time around [against Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson], I felt like I got a little bit better. I’m just looking forward to continuing to grow.”
The team let veteran cornerback Charles Tillman walk in free agency, but the Bears signed veterans Alan Ball and Tracy Porter this offseason to round out the position.
Ball signed a one-year, $3 million deal, and he could potentially push for a significant role this season. He could win the starting job over Jennings on the outside, or he could be used in the team's nickel package on the outside this season with Jennings moving down to the slot.
Ball is an eight-year veteran, and he is a good fit in Fangio's system because of his size (6'2", 197 lbs) and ability to play press coverage.
Porter signed a one-year deal with the Bears this offseason, and the former second-round pick of New Orleans has spent time with the Saints, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins in his seven-year career.
He is a quick and aggressive cornerback, and he will be in the running for the team's nickelback job in training camp.
The rest of the roster at the position is filled with special teams stalwarts like Sherrick McManis, Al Louis-Jean and Demontre Hurst and undrafted rookies like Bryce Callahan and Jacoby Glenn.
If Fuller and Jennings can bounce back from a disappointing 2014 campaign, the cornerback position has a chance to flourish this season in Fangio's scheme. Fuller has a lot of upside and potential, while Jennings, Ball and Porter all have shown in the past they can be above-average cornerbacks.
Grade: C
Safety
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The Bears added a couple of new faces to their safety corps this offseason, but there are still a lot of question marks surrounding the position.
Chicago signed veteran safety Antrel Rolle to a three-year, $11.25 million contract this offseason, and the two-time All-Pro is guaranteed to be a starter in 2015.
Rolle does not possess the same range he had when he entered the league in 2005 as a first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, but he is a reliable safety who plays well against both the pass and the run.
He has the ability to play both the strong safety and free safety position in Fangio's defense, but he will likely begin the year as the team's free safety.
Ryan Mundy started all 16 games at strong safety last season for the Bears, and the veteran defensive back is competing to be the starter again this season.
He led the Bears in tackles last year with 103, and he notched a career-high four interceptions. He plays well against the run and showed off his ability against the pass last season, but he lacks ideal range for the position in Fangio's scheme.
2014 fourth-round pick Brock Vereen appeared in all 16 games last season and made four starts, and he will be competing with Mundy in training camp for the starting strong safety job. He played cornerback, nickelback and safety in college, and his ability against the pass makes him a good fit in Fangio's defense.
The Bears drafted Penn State's Adrian Amos in the fifth round of this year's draft, and the former Nittany Lion's skill set is very similar to Vereen's. He played both cornerback and safety in college, and he has terrific range. He needs to improve as a tackler, and he should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself on special teams.
To help add more competition to the position this offseason, the Bears signed veteran Sherrod Martin to a one-year deal in June. The Carolina Panthers selected Martin in the second round of the 2009 draft, and the former Troy star has registered 215 tackles, 22 pass deflections and eight interceptions in five NFL seasons.
Martin has good hands and reads quarterbacks well, but he struggles as a tackler. He gives the team reliable depth at both safety positions, but it may be difficult for him to make the roster unless he can prove his worth on special teams.
The addition of Rolle this offseason helped bolster the safety position, but there are simply too many question marks surrounding Mundy, Vereen, Amos and Martin.
Mundy is a steady contributor, but he may not be a good fit in Fangio's system because of his lack of range. Vereen and Amos both have a lot of potential, but they need to prove themselves when out on the field this summer. Martin is a ball-hawking safety, but he makes far too many mistakes in the open field.
The safety position has improved greatly from last season, but because of all the question marks surrounding the players who will be competing for the strong safety job, the position group graded out in the middle of the pack.
Grade: C
Special Teams
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Chicago's special teams unit struggled the last two seasons under former coordinator Joe DeCamillis, but the group is looking to bounce back this season under new coordinator Jeff Rodgers.
Rodgers was the special teams coordinator in Carolina in 2010 and spent the last four seasons as Denver's special teams coordinator.
Robbie Gould is the only kicker currently on Chicago's roster, and the 10-year veteran is looking to bounce back from a down year in 2014.
Gould made just nine of his 12 field-goal attempts last season, but he should get more opportunities this season. He has made 85.6 percent of his field-goal attempts in his career.
Just like Gould, Pat O'Donnell is the only punter currently on Chicago's roster. Chicago drafted O'Donnell in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, and the former Miami Hurricane finished his rookie season with 71 punts for 3,107 yards and dropped 20 punts within the 20-yard line.
O'Donnell has a strong leg and showed improvement near the end of last season.
Long snapper Thomas Gafford signed a one-year deal with the Bears this offseason after spending the last seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Gould had a down year in 2014, but his track record suggests he will return to form in 2015. O'Donnell showed a lot of promise last season and came on strong near the end of the regular season. Gafford is a proven veteran who will help bring stability to both the kicking and punting game.
Since all three of Chicago's specialists are steady contributors, the group received an above-average grade.
Grade: B
Statistical information and measurables courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted. All contract information courtesy of Spotrac.
Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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