2016 Chicago Bears Roster

   With only a few days left to start the season bearing any more surprise o last minute free agent signings, trades or cuts, here is the 2016 Chicago Bears roster and how I fared in my initial prediction:

QB - J. Cutler, B. Hoyer

   Looks like the David Fales experiment ended with him running for his life in almost every snap although none of the QB did very well with a shaky OL and no quality backups. Brian Hoyer took the backup job but had to be nervous with Connor Shaws performance against the Chiefs that ultimately ended with him getting injured and straight to IR ending any chance of competition for the backup role.

RB - J. Langford, J. Howard, C. Carey & FB P. Lasike

   Again, with the OL play every RB was searching for a hole, any hole to run to but there weren’t many and Jaquizz Rodgers paid the price because of that getting stuffed almost or every time he touched the ball where Ka´Deem Carey fought for every yard with strength and had better luck in the passing game debunking Rodgers for the last RB spot. I like what I saw in Langford´s game against the patriots showing nice vision, cut and speed when deciding where to run along with good hand securing catching shot to intermediate passes. Jordan Howard had a ball with the Cleveland Browns backups running strong exhibiting some lateral movement and most impressively showing he can catch the ball. Hope that continues to improve this season.

So we´re going to have a FB this season and I really don’t mind, seeing how the OL is maybe it´s better to have an extra blocker close to Cutler once in a while and Paul Lasik showed he could do it all as he pass blocked, took the LB at the second level, ran the ball getting the short yardage needed and catching short passes while knocking people over. So no complaint here.

WR - A. Jeffery, K. White, E. Royal, C. Meredith, J. Bellamy, D. Thompson

   So Eddie Royal doesn’t play a game this preseason and misses more than half the previous season and turns out he´s the only slot receiver on the roster? Really interested on who is going to be behind him on the depth chart, sure Daniel Braverman is still on the PS but he has no experience and didn’t get much action this preseason so this is kind of worrisome just counting on Royal really not knowing if he can click with Cutler or just stay healthy. Maybe Josh Bellamy will be the guy behind Royal but I think it would have been better to stick with Marc Mariani instead of Bellamy or Deonte Thompson although his value comes more in the return game. Cameron Meredith looked good against KC and Cleveland making nice catches and running good routes looking like a reliable backup if Jeffery gets hurt or if Kevin White struggles.

TE - Z. Miller, G. Scruggs, L. Paulsen

   Zack Miller survived the preseason, well sort of I guess, missing 3 games because of concussion symptoms doesn’t really make it count. This position really didn’t show what it had on any game expect for Tony Moeaki who got more opportunities that the rest and still didn’t make the team. Greg Scruggs I believe showed enough promise and skill as a blocking TE that made Khari Lee expendable once Logan Paulsen hit free agency who is more balanced at the position. Rookie Ben Braunecker never had a shot and it seems he never impressed the coaches enough on practice sessions to be considered ahead of some of the other guys, still he got on the PS. This seems like a really weak and questionable position.

OL - C. Leno Jr, C. Whitehair, T. Larsen, K. Long, B. Massie, M. Adams, J. Sitton, E. Kush

   Ok so besides the starting lineup (that’s still a bit in the air), where did everybody go? The backups are all players that were brought in after the beginning of training camp, that s how weak and unstable the line is if someone else gets hurt. It got patched up recently with the addition of Josh SItton but the line will get scrambled up again to make room for him and maybe switch Whitehair to center which if it works it would be great because Larsen has struggled as a guard and center so he´s not ready yet. I like how Charles Leno Jr and Bobbie Massie play, like not love, but this group is going to give me headaches if not heart attacks for a while, just I while, I hope.

DL - M. Unrein, E. Goldman, A. Hicks, J. Bullard, W. Sutton, C. Washington

   Let´s talk about happier things like the defensive front 7 starting with the line where the starting 3 look great and the backups look good especially Jonathan Bullard, they were not kidding about that first step, once the ball is snapped he´s already a yard in the opponent’s side, legally of course. He does react to the sound of the QB where he did have a pair of offside penalties called against him because he is jumpy but you can see he´s trying to focus on the snap and just explode to de other side, its impressive.

LB - W. Young, D. Trevathan, J. Freeman, L. Houston, L. Floyd, C. Jones, N. Kwiatkoski, S. Acho, J. Anderson

   This is a good, interesting and versatile group especially on the outside but what worries me is the depth on the MLB position, if Jerrel Freeman or even worse if Danny Trevathan gets hurt there´s no sure thing behind them regressing to the old MLB tandem of Christian Jones and Jonathan Anderson. and maybe they can play the run better with the help of the improved DL, although John Timu lost his job because of bad open field solo missed tackles, but the coverage experience that Trevathan bring will be very missed. I liked what I saw out of Leonard Floyd although he did get pushed around in some plays its obvious he doesn’t have the strength to win every battle against bigger OL men but he uses his length very well to compensate his lack of strength so he really doesn’t have to get bulkier but use his length like Willie Young does and burst to get to the quarterback face and get him out of the pocket, that’s what I am waiting to see from him year one.

CB - T. Porter, K. Fuller, B. Callahan, D. Hall, J. Glenn, S. McManis, L. Cre´Von

   So we will get last year’s starters, let’s see if Tracy Porter can continue where he left off and if Kyle Fuller and Bryce Callahan can step up their game because behind them there’s going to be raw talent hungry for some playing time if someone messes up. Jacoby Glenn looked fairly decent with the chances he got on the field and Deiondre Hall although he got a bunch of PD he doesnt turn back to search for the ball, something that Fuller does most of the time and that drives me nut and that why people consider him better as a safety because he plays the ball better when its in front of him,

S - A. Amos, H. Jones-Quartey, D. Houston-Carson, C. Prosinski, D. Bush

   Harlod Jones-Quartey will be back once again alongside Adrian Amos and try to have some chemistry together and stop this madness of a safety roulette. This DB group lacks an identity, only way this squad is going to function better is if they get on the same page if Jones-Quartey gets swapped again and Fuller takes a step back, this group is going to look awfully different next year.

K - C. Barth

   Wait What?! Who? But when? How? Why? WHY???!!!

   Ok, I wasn’t ready for that… so Robbie Gould was shown the door for some reason and there are reasons I can think of but really? I mean coaches and front office were considering this to happen? So yeah Gould missed important winning kicks last year and continued on in this preseason and maybe the team thought he got the yips or something. Maybe they wanted some cap space to get Sitton signed. Maybe Barth accuracy inside the 40´s is more important and useful than Gould´s 50-yard accuracy, which is good, in the wind, Chicago wind! I don’t consider this lightly, they didn’t get someone to compete with or even practice in training camp to see if he could be as accurate. I really believe that the staff thought that he was done, that he wasn’t going to bounce back from last year and taking this personally I would have given him another shot on a yet rebuilding team to see if he´s still got it, with his history and numbers I would consider the possibility of him getting back on track.

P - P. O´Donell

   It was good to see Pat O´Donnell just destroy the ball in preseason, good deep pinpoint kicks from him.

LS - P. Scales

   So there was a blocked punt for a score against Denver on the first preseason game, guess who was on that play? Does it matter? Not really, so I don’t know why Patrick Scales got the nod against Aaron Brewer, so there.

Predicting the final 2016 record: 8-8

   The OL need´s time to gel, and once Hroniss Grasu returns from injury next year the line will shuffle again and will still be needing 1 or 2 promising players, there is just not enough talent on the bench and an upgrade on the tackle positions wouldn´t hurt.

   Once the year ends the DBs will be thoroughly evaluated I believe more than any other position, a replacement for Porter will have to emerge in one of the rookies, if he´s not there then the search continues. The situation will get worse if Fuller falters, if so then it will have to be address in the draft because I really don’t think there’s enough cash to throw on to CBs. And I do mention the draft on this group because I am very hyped about Desmond King from Iowa, think he’s going to be a great player.

   I believe that Jeffery will get signed next year. Is it me, or does Jeffrey resemble a Roy Williams in his prime?