Windy City Gridiron
Who will be on the Chicago Bears roster on week one?
The draft is in the rearview mirror. The Chicago Bears made some interesting choices, and their new coaching regime is going to reshape the roster.
How will the Bears look in 2025? Let’s look before we even start OTAs as to who will be on the Bears roster this season.
Case Keenum has become like an assistant quarterback coach over the last few years and has been credited with helping mentor young quarterbacks, including CJ Stroud. Keenum and Bagent could have a competition for QB2, but I expect Bagent to handle the QB2 duties and Keenum to be the emergency backup on Sundays and a mentor from Monday to Saturday.
Practice Squad: Austin Reed
I just can’t see Ben Johnson go into week one with Swift as his primary ball carrier. I can’t see another NFL team wanting to trade for Swift at his current price, and cutting him would be brutal on the Bears’ cap. I feel like the Bears are stuck with Swift, and I’m going to predict they go out and sign Chubb. If they do that, how does that back end settle? Homer had $1,000,000 of his contract guaranteed, and they love his special-teams contributions. I don’t think he goes anywhere. I feel Johnson and Kyle Monangai will be battling for the last spot, and I think they will want to go with Johnson’s well-rounded game, but the fear that Monangai gets grabbed off the practice squad keeps him on the 53. Monangai is more in the Bears' plans for 2026.
Practice Squad: Ian Wheeler
The Bears keeping a 5th running back leaves them room to only keep five wide receivers instead of the traditional six. Tyler Scott is the odd man out here. Some fans are suggesting that Miles Boykin could make the squad over Scott, but in the end, neither of them does. The top four spots are pretty obvious here, and Duvernay makes the team as the Bears’ primary returner. My thought is that the Bears do not retain Scott on the practice squad either, and his time in Chicago is up, and he is signed to a practice squad elsewhere.
Practice Squad: Miles Boykin, Jahdae Walker
Many of these position groups are going to have plenty of competition up and down the roster, but at tight end, I think this is pretty settled. In 2025, Kmet is going to be the team’s primary tight end as Loveland works into the rotation as a rookie and is utilized as a pass catcher. Smythe will be the team’s TE2 on obvious rushing situations in 12 personnel and will spell Kmet from time to time on early...
