2024 NFL Draft Post-Mortem: Establishing The Remaining Needs On The Chicago Bears’ 90-Man Roster

With the bulk of the acquisition period out of the way this offseason, we’ll take a deeper dive into how the Chicago Bears’ 90-man roster is shaping up. Are they ready to compete for an NFC North title this year? Or are they still a few moves away?

The 2024 NFL Draft, along with the bulk of this offseason’s acquisition period, has concluded. The Chicago Bears, like many teams, will conduct their rookie minicamp this weekend and then start looking toward the next month of their offseason program to get a final evaluation of their 90-man roster heading into their mid-July training camp.

Chicago has dominated the majority of the NFL’s offseason headlines. It started with the decision at quarterback. Once the team finally traded Justin Fields, all eyes shifted to Caleb Williams and the prospect of him becoming the No. 1 overall pick. The Bears made many moves this offseason, but those were often overshadowed by the dominating quarterback narrative that took the league by storm. With their decisions resolved and plenty of upgrades made, many wonder: Can the Bears contend for a playoff spot in 2024?

That’s where we come in. We’ll take a deeper dive into the offseason that has been. Position-by-position, we’ll look into where Chicago got better and, more importantly, where there’s room for improvement. Despite the offseason coming to a close, general manager Ryan Poles has never been shy about improving his roster heading into training camp. There are plenty of reasons to believe he’ll do just that in the coming months with a team that should have playoff expectations.

Quarterback (4): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Brett Rypien, Austin Reed

The NFL headlines have consistently held one prominent story: Who will be the Bears starting quarterback, and will they finally get it right? Well, we have one of those answers, but the other will take time to play out. In the meantime, fans should be comfortable in assuming that this room is unlikely to see many changes moving forward. Sure, they could bring in a better veteran, but at this point, they might as well roll with Bagent (and possibly Rypien) as their quarterback room heading into Week 1.

Level of Need: Minimal.

Running Back (6): D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Ian Wheeler, Khari Blasingame (fullback)

Going into free agency, I wouldn’t have labeled running back as a serious need for this roster. Clearly, the front office and coaching staff felt differently. They seriously pursued Saquon Barkley and ended up “settling” on Swift. Despite a lucrative contract, it’s easy to see why the move made sense. New offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has excelled with do-it-all backs. That’s what Swift is. Waldron is not one for committee backfields, which will be a departure from what Bears fans saw with former offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. In total, this is a deep group with plenty of versatility.

Level of Need: None.

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Wide Receiver (9): DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones Jr., Dante Pettis, Collin Johnson, Nsimba Webster, Odieu Hiliare

Maybe someone with more in-depth knowledge of the other 31 NFL rosters will correct me on this, but it’s hard to imagine any other team re-making a positional group quite like the Bears have at receiver over two offseasons. In Poles’ first year as general manager, fans were trying to talk themselves into Darnell Mooney, Byron Pringle, Velus Jones Jr., and Equanimeous St. Brown as a suitable group of pass catchers for a second-year quarterback. At one point, it felt like all hope was lost in their quest to find a WR1. Then the trade for Moore happened, and things have gone their way since. Adding Allen and Odunze this offseason just reinforces that this regime “gets it” when it comes to supporting a rookie quarterback. Depth is still lacking a bit here, but it’s hard to find many, if any, better 1-2-3 combos in the league.

Level of Need: Intermediate.

More than anything, they could use another viable fourth or fifth-quality target. While it’s fine to still be high on Scott, relying on him as your first line of defense off the bench is asking a little too much, considering his lack of production in Year 1. All Chicago needs is a reliable option willing to come in on a near-veteran minimum deal—nothing fancy or expensive.

Upgrade Options: Hunter Renfrow, Richie James, Mecole Hardman, DeAndre Carter, and Alex Erickson.

There are plenty of reliable veterans that could fit the bill for Chicago. Most of these names should come close to veteran minimum-type deals, too. James, Hardman, Carter, and Erickson might make more sense because of their previous roles, but I wouldn’t turn down Renfrow on a cheap deal, either. Continue to stack the receiver room for your young quarterback.

Tight End (4): Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, Stephen Carlson, Brendan Bates

Speaking of changes we’ve seen under Waldron, it’s become clear that tight end is a position he values. Unlike previous coaching staffs, the need for roles at tight end are important. Kmet remains the do-it-all inline option. He’ll be the TE1 on the depth chart and should see the most snaps. Everett isn’t much of a blocker, but he’s got the ideal athleticism to slot in as the “starting” U. The biggest remaining need in this group is who can play that blocking role. Bates was well-known at Kentucky for it but as an undrafted free agent, that’s a big role to step into.

Level of Need: Priority (with proper context).

Some might look at the depth chart and think I’m crazy for labeling this as a priority. The context here is very simple. Waldron very specifically uses his tight ends in certain roles. There’s a reason all three of his tight ends in 2023 from Seattle got paid in free agency this offseason. A blocking tight end should be a priority add for the Bears before the opening of training camp. Will it make or break the season? Of course not. Would it help really complete this offense? It sure would. I know a familiar name that wouldn’t cost much to bring back, too.

Upgrade Options: Marcedes Lewis, Blake Bell, Tyler Kroft, or Nick Vannett.

Again, context is key. The two primary pass catching options are already on the roster. A blocking tight end is needed, and Lewis makes the most sense. They should be able to bring him back on a similar contract to last season. He’d also be a good veteran presence in a young locker room.

Offensive Line (16): Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Ryan Bates, Nate Davis, Darnell Wright, Coleman Shelton, Kiran Amegadjie, Larry Borom, Matt Pryor, Ja’Tyre Carter, Jake Curhan, Doug Kramer, Jerome Calvin, Bill Murray, Aviante Collins, Theo Benedet

For all of the upgrades the Bears’ offense has seen this offseason, the offensive line’s starting five has largely remained unchanged. Gone are the days of Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick. In their places, Bates and Shelton will step in. How much of an upgrade will that be? Only time will tell, but on paper, it doesn’t look sizable in either direction. Despite the amount of talk that Chicago could replace Jones at left tackle with a Top 10 pick, he remains entrenched as the starter heading into Year 3. Could third-round rookie Amegadjie supplant him at some point this season? It’s certainly possible but feels unlikely. Their depth has improved, as has their upside, but on paper, this still isn’t a great line. I’m just not sure there are many areas where they could find a surefire upgrade.

Level of Need: Intermediate.

My biggest focus would be overall upside. Their depth has improved but I can’t make a good faith argument that they for sure improved center on their interior. This feels like one of those “lay in the bed you made” types of scenarios. I don’t think the floor is scary-low, but I was hoping for more effort to fortify this group.

Upgrade Options: C Connor Williams (if healthy) or G Dalton Risner.

Williams’ health is a big question. There’s a reason why one of the league’s best centers is still left unsigned. At this point, it’s hard to imagine the Bears seriously considering adding a starting caliber player to this group, even if depth can thin in a hurry on the interior with the injury histories of Davis and Jenkins.

Defensive End (8): Montez Sweat, Demarcus Walker, Austin Booker, Jake Martin, Dominique Robinson, Khalid Kareem, Daniel Hardy, Jamree Kromah

The edge rusher spot is one that many, including myself, expected the Bears to be more active in improving this offseason. In some ways, it makes sense as to why they didn’t. The majority of their resources went to the offensive side of the ball. It’s not hard to see why. Even so, Poles’ overall conservative approach to free agency did them no favors in this market. It’s a good thing they got Sweat because if not, this would be a repeat situation of last year. There are still some quality veterans on the market and one with plenty of familiarity last season. Much like the offensive line, this is a spot where Chicago will just have to bide their time and hope a youthful presence emerges.

Level Of Need: Priority.

Barring a surprise trade, nothing for the future is going to get solved this offseason. Even so, they should take a Baltimore Ravens-type approach. Add a veteran (or two) to the rotation, and I hope it’s enough to get by. The defense drastically improved with Sweat in the mix last year, but depth and overall upside are the big concerns moving into 2024 with this group.

Upgrade Options: Yannick Ngakoue, Emmanuel Ogbah, Carl Lawson, Frank Clark, Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, and Romeo Okwara.

There are plenty of fish in the sea when it comes to veteran edge rushers still searching for a home this upcoming season. They had rumored interest in Lawson last offseason before the Jets decided to restructure his deal and keep him in New York. Ogbah is another interesting name that could come at a nice value. Ngakoue seems like the most likely name from this group, even if he had career-low production in his lone year with Chicago last season.

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Defensive Tackle (6): Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings, Zacch Pickens, Byron Cowart, Keith Randolph Jr., Michael Dwunfour

Similar to defensive end, the interior on the defensive side of the ball lacks depth and top-end starting talent. I’m sure that this coaching staff is banking on their pair of second-year players (Dexter and Pickens) to take steps forward in 2024, but this group still lacks depth. Especially when looking at potential pass-rushing options. With another addition at defensive end, they could kick Walker inside more, but that’s not a long-term solution. The bigger issue is that the free agent market is sparse with interior pass rushers. This might take some creativity if they plan to add a new face.

Level of Need: Priority.

The need is high, but there aren’t many options. Head coach Matt Eberflus’ search for his “franchise” three-technique is still in progress, but the hope is that Dexter becomes that player. Even so, the quality of depth is still a big issue. I’m just not sure how they plan to solve it.

Upgrade Options: Calais Campbell

In terms of pass-rushing interior defensive linemen, this is the list (as of now). The 38-year-old is still playing at a high level, but I’m not sure how much sense he makes for a team like the Bears. They could do a lot worse than Campbell as a one-year stopgap but I still have my doubts that they would seriously entertain it. Outside of him, any other option would come through cut-down periods or making a trade.

Linebacker (7): Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Micah Baskerville, Carl Jones

After the Bears sunk heavy resources into this position last offseason, it should come as no surprise that this is a position group that is set for 2024. Not only does the team have their two primary starters locked in, but Sanborn and Sewell provide quality options at Sam and overall depth. Ogbongbemiga is the newcomer and should slide into the special teams role, which was recently held by Dylan Cole. Outside of that, the biggest question with this group remaining is how many they’ll keep on the roster come Week 1.

Level of Need: None.

Cornerback (9): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Terell Smith, Josh Blackwell, Jaylon Jones, Greg Stroman Jr., Reddy Steward, Leon Jones Jr.

The most expensive move of the offseason was allocated to this group in 2024. Johnson’s four-year, $76 million extension was a welcomed sight and one that should help solidify this group as one of the best in the league for years to come. Not only do they have three plus-starters, but they have quality depth. Smith and Blackwell should make Bears fans feel good about stepping in if any of their current starters go down. Even better, all three starters are still young and ascending. It’s been a while since the Bears’ cornerback room had this much promise and depth. It’s a welcomed development and one that won’t be a one-year solution.

Level of Need: None.

Safety (8): Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker, Jonathan Owens, Elijah Hicks, Tarvarius Moore, Quindell Johnson, Adrian Colbert, Douglas Coleman III

Getting cheaper and adding more depth appeared to be the primary goal at safety this offseason. Eddie Jackson is gone after spending his first seven years with the organization. With the money saved by his release, Chicago signed Byard III. The veteran had his worst year as a professional last season but fits the profile of what is needed in Eberflus’ defense. At 30 years old, he should still have more left in the tank. Poles also reinforced depth, adding Owens and Moore to the room. All in all, this should be a more stable group in 2024, with healthier players and better overall depth.

Level of Need: None.

Special Teams (5): K Cairo Santos, P Tory Taylor, LS Patrick Scales, P Corliss Waitman, LS Cameron Lyons

Stability has been the name of the game for the primary specialists in Chicago over the past few years. Santos was rewarded with a new four-year deal earlier this year. Scales was brought back for his ninth season with the team. The biggest change came when Poles spent the No. 122 pick on Taylor. While some may view that as an expensive draft asset to use on a punter, Taylor’s work at Iowa was undeniable and, at points, borderline unbelievable. That allowed the organization to cut ties with third-year punter Trenton Gill, who is now free to sign elsewhere before training camp. If all goes well, this should be one of the better units in the league for 2024.

Level of Need: None.