Looking Ahead to Depth Chart Release
The week of the first preseason game always includes the annual watch for the first depth chart released by the Bears.
In days gone by, they released the depth chart for what it was worth, and everyone accepted it and moved on with competing for positions. For some reason, in recent years it has been labeled the "unofficial" depth chart when released.
Saying this lets the spineless off the hook or avoids hurting the feelings of players who might be overly tender.
If the Bears released the depth chart, how can it be unofficial?
Who releases the actual official depth chart then, Roger Goodell? Maybe a Power Above? It's not really clear.
In any case, nothing prevents BearDigest from releasing a projected depth chart. This is officially the projected BearDigest depth chart, tender feelings or otherwise.
Another popular league hedge is how in recent years they've been listing two or three players with a slash as second or third string. They're competing for the spot and no one has the intestinal fortitude to stand up and say one of these players is actually leading the group at the moment. So they use slashes and list the players alongside each other.
That's more weak stock. There will be no slashes here. It's who ranks where based on camp analysis.
In actuality, a depth chart is rather worthless after the starters because players will be listed as backups who are actually not the backups at those positions at all.
For instance, Ja'Tyre Carter might be listed as the backup right guard and Alex Leatherwood the backup left guard. When they line up on the field at training camp, Carter is with the backups at right guard and Leatherwood the backup left guard. However, if there was an injury to starters at those positions, neither Carter nor Leatherwood would be the players going on the field.
Both are with the starting lineup at times now because of injuries to Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis, but Leatherwood would not be the first guard to come off the bench in regular season. Backup center Lucas Patrick would actually be the first guard off the bench at either guard because he plays all three spots.
BearDigest Projected Bears Depth Chart
| Position | First Team | Second Team | Third Team |
|---|---|---|---|
Offense | |||
QB | 1 Justin Fields | 15 P.J. Walker | 14 Nathan Peterman |
RB | 24 Khalil Herbert | 21 D'Onta Foreman | 30 Roschon Johnson |
FB | 35 Khari Blasingame | 45 Robert Burns | |
WR | 2 DJ Moore | 19 Equanimeous St. Brown | 80 Joe Reed |
WR | 11 Darnell Mooney | 13 Tyler Scott+ | 83 Nsimba Webster |
WR | 10 Chase Claypool | 12 Velus Jones Jr.*+ | 82 Daurice Fountain |
TE | 85 Cole Kmet | 18 Robert Tonyan Jr. | 84 Marcedes Lewis |
Left Tackle | 70 Braxton Jones | 78 Kellen Diesch | 71 Bobby Haskins |
Left Guard | 76 Teven Jenkins | 60 Dieter Eiselen | 63 Josh Lugg |
Center | 65 Cody Whitehair | 62 Lucas Patrick | 68 Doug Kramer |
Right Guard | 64 Nate Davis | 69 Ja'Tyre Carter | 79 Gabe Houy |
Right Tackle | 58 Darnell Wright | 72 Alex Leatherwood | 67 Roy Mbaeteka |
Defense | |||
DE | 91 Yannick Ngakoue | 94 Rasheem Green | 99 Trevis Gipson |
DT | 97 Andrew Billings | 67 Bravvion Roy | 73 Travis Bell |
DT | 93 Justin Jones | 98 Grevon Dexter Jr. | 96 Zacch Pickens |
DE | 95 DeMarcus Walker | 90 Dominique Robinson | 52 Terrell Lewis |
Weakside LB | 53 T.J. Edwards | 44 Noah Sewell | 50 Buddy Johnson |
Middle LB | 49 Tremaine Edmunds | 55 Dylan Cole | 47 Micah Baskerville |
Strongside LB | 57 Jack Sanborn | 43 DeMarquis Gates | 46 Kuony Deng |
Slot Cornerback | 6 Kyler Gordon | 39 Josh Blackwell | |
Left Cornerback | 29 Tyrique Stevenson | 32 Terell Smith | 31 Jaylon Jones |
Right Cornerback | 33 Jaylon Johnson | 22 Kindle Vildor | 27 Greg Stroman Jr. |
Safety | 4 Eddie Jackson | 37 Elijah Hicks | 38 A.J. Thomas |
Safety | 9 Jaquan Brisker | 36 Kendall Williamson | 45 Bralen Trahan |
Specialists | |||
Punter | 16 Trenton Gill | ||
Kicker | 8 Cairo Santos | 37 Andre Szmyt | |
Long Snapper | 48 Patrick Scales |
3-deep projection. *first team kick returner. +competing for punt returner.
Of Note
- The projection indicates who has played with the first offensive line, second offensive line and third offensive line at training camp, not who would be at each starting or backup spot in case of injuries.
- The backup linebacker situation is a tough call because they have used Noah Sewell and Dylan Cole in both weak and middle with backups, but Sewell has worked with starters at strongside, as well. So it's pretty much a guess where either of those figure to be on a depth chart. Either way, the experience Sewell has been gaining at all positions is invaluable.
- At cornerback, it's possible Kindle Vildor could be listed as second-team left cornerback but lately he has played more at right cornerback because the second-team left cornerback has been whoever isn't with starters between rookies Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith.
- In actuality, if something happened to Jaylon Johnson at right cornerback the backup left cornerback would be the new starting right cornerback. Both are getting more play with starters than Vildor and can play on either side.
- At tackle, Larry Borom is the swing tackle and plays backup at either left or right tackle just like Patrick plays backup guard on either side ahead of Carter, or backup center. The rest of the linemen are below those two and the five starters.
- This depth chart does not include wide receiver Dante Pettis, their returning punt returner and sixth or seventh receiver. But he is currently not practicing and is on the non-football injury list.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
