Chicago Bears

My Predictions for Bears Last 15 Cuts

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Bears made another round of cuts today, releasing seven players to get down to 68 men on the roster. The deadline to get down to 53-players is tomorrow at 4 PM (EST), which leaves 15 more players that need to be let go.

There are rumors from the Chicago Tribune that the Bears are looking to trade a few players on the bubble that they think could have value to other teams, which I covered earlier today.

The Bears have some tough choices to make for the last 15 players, which is a positive sign that the overall talent level is increasing gradually. I don’t remember there being half this many tough choices last season.

In three years of predicting the final 53-man roster I have yet to get it right and probably won’t this year either, but I’ll give it my best shot below. Regardless of who makes the final 53-man roster, there is almost no chance that will be the final roster come week one of the NFL season.

The Bears will be scanning the waiver wire closely to try and add depth released from other teams at positions of need like cornerback, center, tight end and the offensive line. For now though, here is the list of players I think will be let go by tomorrow afternoon.

Bears Final 15 Cuts

1.) QB David Fales – Last year at this time it looked like David Fales had a chance to develop as the Bears backup quarterback. Even during the season there were rumors that other teams like the Patriots and Raiders were looking to trade for Fales. His stock has dropped considerably since then as he didn’t make it into a preseason game until the 2nd half of game four. Fales looked uncomfortable in the pocket and missed a number of easy throws. I expect the Bears to cut ties with him completely and find a new QB for the practice squad.

2.) CB Tavese Calhoun – An undrafted free agent who flashed some tough press coverage skills early in camp but struggled to maintain coverage once beaten off the line. He’s got good size (6’1, 190) to contribute against the run and could eventually develop into a solid corner. Calhoun should claim one of the ten spots on the Bears practice squad.

3.) LS Patrick Scales – The think the Bears will go with five-year veteran Aaron Brewer at long-snapper over Scales, since John Fox is familiar with the reliable Brewer from his time in Denver.

4.) OT Jason Weaver – He’s got decent size (6’5, 309) and the Bears have invested a couple years in Weaver’s development, but he was brutal in the preseason. He struggled to move anyone off the ball in the run game and was destroyed by 2nd & 3rd string speed rushers during the preseason. The Bears could give Weaver another year on the practice squad, but I think they cut ties with Weaver all together.

5.) TE Greg Scruggs – It’s impressive that Scruggs was willing to switch positions from defensive end and give tight end a shot despite not playing the position since his freshman year in college. Scruggs has the size to be a power blocker, but has struggled to stay healthy and catch the ball, including a drop on a catchable pass in the 4th preseason game.

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

6.) ILB John Timu – Last year inside linebacker was one of the weakest positions on the Bears defense, but they added two high priced free agents in Danny Trevathan & Jerrell Freeman and drafted Nick Kwiatkoski in the 4th round. That leaves probably just one ILB spot between last year’s starters like Timu, Anderson, Barrow, and Christian Jones. Barrow is already hurt, Jones has been moved to OLB, which leaves the last ILB spot between Timu and Anderson.

It’s a tough call, but Timu has consistently been exposed in coverage and has missed multiple tackles over the last two weeks of the preseason. I’d be surprised if the Bears don’t keep Timu around on the practice squad.

7.) TE Rob Housler – He flashed his upside in week two of the preseason, taking a slant over the middle, breaking a tackle and running for 58 yards down the sidelines. Housler is a very similar player to Zach Miler in that he has ideal size (6’5, 250) and all the physical tools to be a weapon at tight end, but just can’t stay healthy consistently. The fact that Housler couldn’t even make it through the four-week preseason healthy is a bad sign and will probably cost Housler his roster spot.

8.) S Chris Prosinski – The emergence of Harold Jones-Quartey as the starter opposite Adrian Amos and the solid play of rookie Deon Bush has probably cost Prosinski his spot on the Bears roster. He’s an excellent special teams player, but the Bears drafted some players with special teams potential and more upside on defense. Demontre Hurst is a solid special teams player who has the versatility to play corner or safety and I think he will end up taking Prosinski’s roster spot. If someone were to get hurt, I could see the Bears keeping Prosinski’s number on speed dial, but I don’t think he will make the final 53.

Tim Fuller-USA TODAY SportsOct 18, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions running back Ameer

9.) DE/NT Will Sutton – He gave it an admirable shot playing out of position as both a 3-4 DE and NT during the preseason, but Sutton (6’0, 297) just ins’t a good fit for Vic Fangio’s scheme. Hopefully the Bears can trade Sutton to a team that needs a 3-tech DT. I could see the Bears keeping Sutton as depth due to Cornelius Washington’s injury issues, but I think it’s more likely that the Bears end up signing a more traditional nose tackle like Terrance Knighton or Sammy Lee Hill. Even better the Bears could call up Terry “Swamp Monster” Williams from the practice squad who was just released today. The Bears also have players like Akiem Hicks and Mitch Unrein who could fill in as backup NTs for Eddie Goldman.

10.) DE Ego Ferguson – The Bears 2014 2nd round pick has been a massive bust so far with a pathetically bad rookie season and then a 2015 spent on the injured reserve list. Ferguson flashed some power and aggression last night against the Browns, but it was probably too late to save his job.

11.) TE Ben Braunecker – Finally started practicing this week, but the Bears held him out of the final preseason game. Maybe it was to keep other teams from getting tape on Braunecker, maybe they didn’t want to risk injury, or maybe Braunecker just wasn’t ready. Either way I expect the Bears to try and stash Braunecker on the practice squad because the non-Miller TEs seem pretty bad.

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12.) CB Sherick McManis -With the Bears potentially starting the season with their three top corners unavailable, I don’t think the Bears can afford to keep a corner who can only play special teams. The strong play and potential of De’Vante Bausby pushes McManis off the roster this year and the Bears only take a $750k guaranteed salary hit.

13.) WR/KR Deonte Thomson -Had he stayed healthy, Thompson might not only have won the kick return job but could in the running for the 4th or 5th wide receiver gig. He might be the Bears best deep threat, but if he’s not healthy he’s not making the team.

14.) RB Jacquizz Rodgers – Another surprise release, but I don’t think the Bears would have played Rodgers about half of the last preseason game if he had a roster spot locked up. The fact that Ka’Deem Carey has been solid and rookie Jordan Howard looked beastly this week may cost Rodgers his job.

He doesn’t seem to have the same burst he had last season and has done next to nothing as an interior runner this preseason. Rodgers is one of the Bears better blocking backs and a solid special teams coverage player, but Carey has made strides in both categories, is younger, cheaper, has more potential, and is the better short yardage runner.

15.) OLB Roy Robertson-Harris – Currently on the “non-football illness” list, which seems to me like a convenient way to keep other teams scouts’ eyes off Robertson-Harris so the Bears can stash him on their practice squad. Robertson-Harris has legitimate pass rush skill, but is probably a year or two away from contributing on a regular basis. Hopefully the Bears can sneak Robertson-Harris onto their practice squad.

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Surprise Roster Additions:

WR Daniel Braverman – Didn’t do anything of note in the preseason games, but was one of the best wide receivers in training camp. Can the Bears really trust Eddie Royal to stay healthy long enough to be the slot receiver all season?

CB De’Vante Bausby – A 6’2 corner who has played better every game of the preseason and held his own in week four against the Browns starting wide receivers. He has significantly more upside than Sherick McManis and played well enough in week four that the Bears may not be able to stash him on the practice squad.

S/CB Demontre Hurst – Has played as well as any Bears defensive back this preseason and has the versatility to play either free safety or slot corner. With the recent injuries to Bryce Callahan and Tracy Porter, it’s worth keeping Hurst around. He’s one of the Bears best corners in run support and can do a decent impersonation of Sherrick McManis on special teams.

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OLB Christian Jones – I’m hoping the Bears trade Jones to the Eagles for CB/S Eric Rowe, but if they don’t the Bears need an OLB until Pernell McPhee is ready to play. Jones has been all over the field this preseason with three sacks, four QB hits, and 13 tackles in the two games he played significant minutes.

FB Paul Lasike – When the Bears signed veteran fullback Darrel Young it was widely assumed that he would handle the Bears fullback duties this season, but the former rugby player Lasike has continued to impress. He’s picked up the nuances of pass blocking quickly and showed what he could do with the ball in hands against the Browns in week four of the preseason. He caught a short screen pass, ran over a safety, and then flashed some speed for a 25 yard reception.

I’m not sure how often the Bears will use a fullback this season, but when they do Lasike should be fun to watch. His rugby attitude and aggressiveness should help make up for the loss of McManis on special teams.

I except the Bears to be pretty active on the waiver wire once final cuts are in, but this is my best guess for who makes the initial 53-man roster for the Bears.