Final note on the second fake game. Richmond McGee banged a nice kickoff to the goal line and dropped a punt inside the fifteen yard-line. I know this is a personal dream of mine but I really hope the Bears keep this guy in the organization. One man to backup both kicking spots is a nice comfort.
Last year, of the fifty-three men kept on the roster, twenty-five were offensive players. Assuming the Bears stick with that breakdown, I’m projecting who is going to make this club.
QUARTERBACKS (Last year: 3)
This year: Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie
Note: There is absolutely no reason for this club to carry Brett Basanez on anything other than the practice squad – with even that being wasteful. Basanez saw only one series of action against the Giants and wasn’t allowed to throw on 4th and 8.
RUNNING BACKS (Last year: 4)
This year: Matt Forte, Kevin Jones, Garrett Wolfe, Adrian Peterson
Note: The only real change in this group from a year ago is the re-organization of their usage. Forte-Jones is the definitive 1-2 and Wolfe has firmly established himself as a versatile third down back. Peterson is a Lovie Smith favorite and should continue to contribute on special teams.
FULLBACKS (Last year: 1)
This year: Jason McKie, Jason Davis
Note: The Bears know they are not deep in the receiving corps and I think they’ll err on the side of bringing Davis onto the fifty-three to provide more power and the point of attack. Davis also seems to be quite popular in the clubhouse and I think that’s starting to mean something at Halas Hall.
WIDE RECEIVERS (Last year: 6)
This year: Hester, Bennett, Rideau, Aromashodu, Davis, Knox
Note: When I actually sat to consider the position, I surprised myself. I couldn’t make an argument against Rideau or D.A. I couldn’t make an argument for Iglesias, outside of where he was drafted. That left me with Rash Davis on the roster and Johnny Knox being selected for his ability in the return game.
TIGHT ENDS (Last year: 3)
This year: Greg Olsen, Desmond Clark, Kellen Davis
Note: I can’t tell you how happy it makes me that the Bears are stacked at my favorite position on the football field. Outside of Jay Cutler, no player impressed me more Saturday night than Kellen Davis. If Caleb Hanie had improved accuracy, Davis would have had a half dozen catches for close to a hundred yards. Watch for this group to total somewhere in the 20 touchdown range this year.
OFFENSIVE LINE (Last year: 8)
This year: Kreutz, Beekman, Omiyale, Garza, Pace, Williams, Dan Buenning, Kevin Shaffer
Note: This thing that makes projecting the Bears’ linemen difficult is the versatility of players like Omiyale and Beekman. Omiyale showed a ton when filling in for Jordan Gross at left tackle last year in Carolina and Beekman seems to have settled in as the primary backup at both guards and center. If Pace were to go down, Chris Williams could slide to the left tackle and that’s why I chose Shaffer for the club. If Kreutz were to get hurt, the Bears would need a guard on-the-ready. I think it’s Buenning. Lance Louis should be a player in the future but a practice squad-er this year.
Total players: 25
