Predicting the Last 5 In, Last 5 out for Chicago Bears' Final 53-Man Roster
Throughout the 2015 offseason, the Chicago Bears have been evaluating their roster and determining which players will make up the team's final 53-man roster.
Head coach John Fox has been pleased with how his team has performed so far this offseason, but he said it will be up to his players to determine the final 53-man roster in training camp and the preseason, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com:
"It's just like the 53-man roster. These guys understand that they pick the team. It's how they perform. How they practice. How they're evaluated. It's what to do, how to do, do it under pressure. So we'll try and create that the best we can at camp as we ready for the season, and where that's going to take us I'm not sure. But I've been very pleased with how they've gone about their business up to date.
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The Bears currently have 90 players on their roster, but 37 players will need to be cut before the team takes on the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.
Just ahead, we take a look at a handful of position battles and predict who will be the last five in and the last five out on Chicago's 53-man roster.
In: QB David Fales
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David Fales spent most of the 2014 season on Chicago's practice squad after the team used a sixth-round pick on him last offseason, but the young quarterback has a chance to earn a spot on the roster in 2015.
He was used sparingly in the first three preseason games last year, but he started the final preseason game of the year. The young quarterback completed 13 of his 24 passing attempts for 146 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He looked shaky throughout the game, but he settled in near the end of the contest.
He possesses a quick release and is very accurate in the short-to-intermediate passing game, but he is a bit stiff in the pocket and lacks ideal arm strength. He noted earlier this offseason that the speed of the game has been one of the biggest things he has had to adjust to in the NFL.
“I thought I was a smart player in college, but it’s different when you get thrown into the league with all these guys,” Fales said, according to Jake Bartelson of ChicagoFootball.com. "It’s a lot faster, there’s a lot more going on. It’s 24-7 football, that is huge, and with that, everything falls [into place].”
While quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Jimmy Clausen have a firm grip on the top two spots on the depth chart, Fales is battling this offseason with undrafted rookie Shane Carden.
Carden has a great attitude and is a competitor, but Fales is the better all-around quarterback. Carden struggles with his mechanics and footwork, while Fales is very technically sound.
One thing that could go against Fales is the fact that he was not handpicked by this coaching staff and front office like Carden was, but his all-around upside makes him a better option than Carden.
The battle for the No. 3 quarterback spot should be entertaining this summer, but Fales stands a better chance of making the 53-man roster this season over Carden because of his mechanics and accuracy.
In: CB Bryce Callahan
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NFL.com's Lance Zierlein pegged Rice's Bryce Callahan as a fifth- or sixth-round pick during the pre-draft process, but the young cornerback signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent.
He registered 145 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and 13 interceptions in four years at Rice, and Bleacher Report's Matt Miller labeled Callahan as a sleeper in the 2015 draft.
"Bryce Callahan has sleeper potential," Miller wrote. "He's active, with good feet and good hips to mirror and run with receivers on various routes."
Callahan is a fluid athlete who possesses above-average athleticism, but he does not play very physically and will need to get stronger in order to play press coverage in the NFL.
Despite his flaws, the young cornerback has a lot of upside, and Bleacher Report's Dan Hope thinks Callahan can compete for the open nickelback position.
"He projects to be too small to play as an outside cornerback in the NFL, but his movement skills and ball skills make him a good fit to play in the slot," wrote Hope.
With veteran cornerbacks Alan Ball and Tracy Porter already on the roster, it will be difficult for Callahan to earn the starting nickelback job. But he will have a chance to earn a roster spot this season over guys like Demontre Hurst, Al Louis-Jean and fellow undrafted free agent Jacoby Glenn.
Callahan is listed at 5'9" and 183 pounds and lacks ideal size for the cornerback position, but he is a very fluid athlete who can smoothly flip his hips in pass coverage. He needs to improve against the run, but he is a smart cornerback who reads the ball well.
He is still a bit of a project, but he has more upside than other cornerbacks on the roster and could make a name for himself this season on special teams.
In: DL Cornelius Washington
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Initially drafted by the Bears as a 4-3 defensive end in 2013, Cornelius Washington looked a bit out of sorts playing with his hand on the ground after spending the majority of his career at Georgia as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
He appeared in just two games his rookie season and finished with just one tackle. Last season he appeared in 13 games and finished with nine tackles and one sack.
After the Bears hired Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this offseason, Washington appeared to be a perfect fit at outside linebacker in Chicago's new 3-4 defense, but the team listed him as a defensive end when it held its first minicamp this offseason, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Even though he is listed as a defensive end, he has the ability to move back and forth between the 5-technique defensive end position and outside linebacker this season. Washington has terrific size (6'4", 265 lbs) and could thrive playing under Fangio.
Fangio has been known to get the most out of his players, and Washington could find a role on the team as pass-rush specialist at defensive end in certain sub-packages. The defensive end position is one of the thinnest on Chicago's roster, and only Jarvis Jenkins has previous experience playing the 5-technique position.
Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton are making the move from 4-3 defensive tackle to 3-4 defensive end this offseason, but both are considered to be better run-stoppers than pure pass-rushers. Washington gives the Bears a big body on the outside who can potentially develop into a dangerous situational pass-rusher playing under Fangio.
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In: TE Zach Miller
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No one on the Bears made a bigger splash during the 2014 preseason than tight end Zach Miller. Drafted in the sixth-round of the 2009 draft by Jacksonville, Miller struggled with injuries during his four years with the Jaguars and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January 2013.
He was released by Tampa later that summer and signed a reserve/future contract with the Bears that December. He worked mostly with the second and third teams throughout minicamps and OTAs last offseason before getting a chance to play with the first team in Chicago's first preseason game last summer.
In the team's matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, Miller caught six passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns and looked like a legitimate red-zone threat for the Bears. He unfortunately suffered a Lisfranc injury the following week and was placed on injured reserve.
The Bears re-signed him this offseason to a one-year deal, and the veteran tight end says he feels healthy.
“Early on, it takes time to build those football movements back up,” he said, according to Finley. “It takes time to get strength back in my foot. But right now I feel 100 percent.”
In his limited time on the field during the preseason last year, Miller proved to be a reliable option in the passing game and an above-average blocker. He does a nice job of sealing off the edge in the running game, but he struggles to gain leverage as a pass-blocker.
The key to him making the roster this season will be staying healthy.
"He has flashed," Fox said about Miller, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. "He was a guy we heard had a great camp and some of the things we were able to research, he was a good get for us in the offseason. We just need him to stay healthy."
Miller is not fighting to be the starter with veteran Martellus Bennett firmly entrenched atop the depth chart at the position, but he is facing stiff competition from guys like Chris Pantale, Dante Rosario and Bear Pascoe for the No. 2 spot.
Pantale has upside and potential and is a similar player to Miller, but he is still raw and needs to work on becoming a better blocker. Rosario and Pascoe are both blocking tight ends who offer very little in the passing game, meaning Miller stands a good shot of making the roster because of his all-around ability.
In: T Charles Leno
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The Bears drafted offensive tackle Charles Leno in the seventh round of last year's draft, and the former Boise State product appeared in six games last season and made one start.
According to Pro Football Focus, the young lineman played 32 snaps last season and finished with a minus-1.4 overall grade. All of Leno's appearances last season came at right tackle, but he has been getting work at left tackle this offseason.
"It was interesting to see Charles Leno, a seventh-round pick from Boise State last year, working at left tackle with the starting unit," wrote Biggs following the team's first OTA session.
Leno is a physical tackle who has good length and uses his strength to corral opposing defensive ends. He is athletic enough to get to the second level in the running game, but he struggled in pass protection at Boise State. He moves well from side to side, and he has enjoyed going up against some of Chicago's toughest pass-rushers with the first-team offense this offseason.
“It’s great to get the work there,” Leno said, according to Biggs. “I’m going against great players every day like Pernell [McPhee] and Jared [Allen]. That’s helping me get better."
Veteran lineman Jermon Bushrod is set be the team's starter at left tackle, but Leno could be a valuable backup at the position in 2015.
He could potentially compete for the right tackle position in training camp if the team decides to keep Kyle Long at guard, but at the very worst, Leno will head into the 2015 season as the team's swing tackle.
Out: QB Shane Carden
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The Bears had plenty of opportunities to draft a young signal-caller in this year's draft, but they opted to sign East Carolina's Shane Carden as an undrafted free agent.
Carden threw for nearly 12,000 yards and tossed 86 touchdowns to just 30 interceptions in three seasons with the Pirates, but he went undrafted because of his unusual delivery and mechanics.
“That’s kinda been my story, going throughout my career, being overlooked,” Carden said in May, according to Finley. “That’s fine. It kinda fires me up to prove more people wrong.”
He is known to be a competitive player, but his mechanics need a complete overhaul this season.
"He looks like he's throwing a javelin, and he is on the wrong side of where we want quarterbacks to be in terms of athleticism, arm strength and accuracy, but his intangibles are way up there," said an AFC national scout, according to Zierlein. "I absolutely love his competitive nature, but I wish he had better traits."
Carden uses a sidearm approach when throwing, and he doesn't utilize his lower body to drive through his throws. He does have a strong arm, but he struggles with accuracy on his deep ball. He did work on his mechanics with former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Vinny Testaverde prior to the draft, but it often takes time to for a quarterback to readjust his throwing motion.
The young quarterback is competing with Fales this offseason for the No. 3 quarterback job, but Carden's mechanical issues may be too much for him to overcome this offseason. He could conceivably make the practice squad if the team opts to keep just two quarterbacks on the roster, but he will need a stellar training camp and preseason to beat out Fales.
Out: CB Demontre Hurst
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Cornerback Demontre Hurst went undrafted in 2013 but eventually signed with the Bears that April as a free agent. He spent time with the team during training camp before he was one of the Bears' final cuts that summer.
He spent most of the 2013 season on the practice squad and earned a spot on the roster last summer. He appeared in the first game of the 2014 season against the Buffalo Bills on special teams but was released the next day. He eventually re-signed with the team 10 days later.
He appeared in 15 games last season with two starts and finished the year with 39 tackles, one pass deflection, one interception and one forced fumble.
Hurst spent the majority of last season as the team's nickelback, and according to Pro Football Focus, he played a total of 373 snaps. In 254 snaps out of the slot, he allowed 33 receptions on 38 passes thrown his way for 462 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Quarterbacks registered a 132.7 quarterback rating when throwing in his direction last season.
Hurst played well against the run, but he struggled to match up with quick slot receivers. He plays a bit stiffly and lacks the overall speed to be effective on the inside.
The young cornerback appeared to be the front-runner for the position before free agency began this offseason, but the team added Ball in the early stages of free agency and recently signed Porter to a one-year deal.
Both Ball and Porter have the ability to line up on the inside at nickelback or outside at cornerback, and they are experienced veterans who bring stability to a position that lacks proven depth.
Hurst has a chance to make the roster with a strong offseason, but he will face stiff competition from guys like Ball and Porter, as well as undrafted free agents like Callahan and Glenn.
Out: DL Brandon Dunn
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Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville last year, defensive lineman Brandon Dunn appeared in three games last season for the Bears and registered one tackle and one pass deflection.
At 6'2" and 300 pounds, Dunn has the ability to play both the nose tackle position and 5-technique defensive end position in Chicago's new 3-4 defense this offseason. Dunn was viewed as a run-stopper at Louisville, and in three seasons with the Cardinals he registered 87 total tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
According to Pro Football Focus, Dunn played 62 snaps on defense last season and finished the year with a plus-2.2 overall grade. He registered a plus-1.4 grade against the run and a plus-0.5 pass rush grade.
The young lineman has good size and strength for the position, but he currently sits behind guys like Eddie Goldman, Jeremiah Ratliff, Ego Ferguson and Jenkins on the depth chart.
There are still a lot of question marks along Chicago's defensive line, so Dunn could push for one of the final spots on the roster, but since he is still relatively inexperienced, he stands a better shot of making the practice squad out of training camp.
Out: TE Chris Pantale
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An undrafted free agent in 2013, Pantale spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets. A four-year contributor at Boston College, Pantale finished his collegiate career with 98 catches for 986 yards with seven touchdowns.
He did not appear in a game in 2013, but he made five appearances last season. According to Pro Football Focus, Pantale only played two snaps on offense, but he did participate on specials teams.
The Jets placed him on waivers earlier this offseason, and the Bears quickly claimed the 25-year-old tight end. He may be inexperienced, but Bleacher Report's Dan Pompei thinks the young tight end is someone to keep an eye on this offseason:
"6. Offseason sleeper to keep an eye on is TE Chris Pantale. He got a lot of reps, moved well and showed good hands.
— Dan Pompei (@danpompei) June 19, 2015"
He struggles in the running game and needs to get stronger at the point of attack. He often plays heavy-footed as a blocker, and he tends to bend at his waist and lunge at defenders instead of sliding his feet to get into position.
He is a solid route runner and possesses strong hands, but he is still too raw for the position. He has upside and the ability to be a contributor on special teams, but the Bears simply have too many other talented tight ends on the roster. He'll make a push for a spot on the 53-man roster this summer, but he will ultimately come up short.
Out: T Tayo Fabuluje
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The Bears opted to bolster their offensive line in the draft this offseason by selecting TCU's Tayo Fabuluje in the sixth round.
“This is a massive player, very strong, very strong," said general manager Ryan Pace after the draft, via CBSChicago.com. "Athletic for a big man. He can play tackle; he can play guard. His weight has been well documented, and we’re going to stay on that."
He is listed at 6'6" and 353 pounds, but he will need to slim down in order to be an effective presence on the outside at tackle. Even though his weight has been an issue, he is a hard worker on the field.
"His body language can be deceiving," said an NFC East area scout, according to Zierlein. "When you watch him at a practice he looks like this oafish kid who doesn't care, and then when you talk to him and watch the tape you see that's not the case. I would love to see what he could do at about 335 pounds."
The young lineman uses his size well and has a strong, wide base, but he is not overly athletic and struggles to keep up with speedy edge-rushers on the outside. Because of his lack of athleticism, he may be a better fit inside at guard.
If he works with the guards this offseason, he will face an uphill battle to make the roster. Matt Slauson and Long are currently pegged to be the starters at left and right guard this season with guys like Vladimir Ducasse, Ryan Groy and Michael Ola penciled in as backups.
Groy and Ola both made starts for the Bears last season, while Ducasse has accumulated 11 starts over the course of the last five seasons with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings.
Fabuluje is an intriguing prospect who has a lot of upside, but he needs to lose weight and improve his athleticism if he wants to become a serviceable NFL backup. Since the Bears used a draft pick on him this offseason, they obviously like his potential, but he looks to be a prime candidate for the practice squad in 2015.
Statistical information courtesy of NFL.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. Measurables courtesy of ChicagoBears.com.
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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