Here are players I expect to play quite a bit on offense, defense and/or special teams:
39. Kylie Fitts, Edge
Very athletic player who the Bears think can help them off the edge immediately. Needs to develop pass rush moves, but sky is the limit.
38. Marcus Cooper, CB
Okay early last season, but showed a complete lack of focus when forced to play off bench.
37. Bilal Nichols, DT
Rookie from Delaware who should fill in as a backup immediately. Can play all three positions along the defensive line.
36. Benny Cunningham, RB
Cunningham is great on screens and is a really good special teams player. I’d like to see him get more kick returns this year so Tarik Cohen can be more involved in the offense.
35. Joel Iyiegbuniwe, LB
Should be a starter in a year or two. Special teams standout right away. (I’m pretty sure I spelled his last name right.)
34. Roy Robertson-Harris, DL
A make-or-break year for RRH. Has great length and showed flashes last year. Didn’t hold up well against the run, but could be a decent pass rusher.
33. Deon Bush, S
Showed flashes as a rookie, but was MIA last year. Drew praise in offseason workouts and has reportedly had a good camp so far. (Four days.)
32. Nick Kwiatkoski, LB
Had made some big plays as a blitzer and has good instincts against the run. Seems to get lost in coverage, which is why the Bears spent a top 10 pick on his replacement.
31. Aaron Lynch, Edge
Got lost in San Francisco, but has decent potential as a second edge rusher, opposite Lenny Floyd.
30. Eric Kush, OL
Played well at guard when filling in two years ago, but missed all of last season. Can also play center.
29. Sherrick McManis, DB/ST
A four-phase special teams star.
28. Sam Acho, Edge
A high-effort player who always seems to be close to making big plays without ever actually making them. Solid in all areas.
27. Dion Sims, TE
Got off to a tough start last year, but improved as the season progressed. He’ll battle Adam Shaheen for the in-line tight end role.
26. Adam Shaheen, TE
Was better as a blocker than expected last year. Huge frame and good hands, but struggled with route running last year. Should improve in 2018.
25. Anthony Miller, WR
Not sure what to expect out of him as a rookie but Miller was very exciting in college.
24. Kevin White, WR
Monster potential, but it’s hard to put him much higher on this list considering we really haven’t seen much of him. You know the story…
23. James Daniels, OG/C
Daniels might end up being the best offensive lineman on the team in a couple of years, but he has to get stronger first.
22. Jon Bullard, DL
Has really improved as a run defender, which should help him stay on the field this year. Has upside as a pass rusher.
21. Bryce Callahan CB
Slot corner who has really played well since entering the league as a UDFA three years ago. Just hasn’t been able to stay on the field.
20. Bobby Massie, RT
Underrated player who plays his position well. Can’t be left on an island against an elite rusher, but holds his own more times than not.
19. Cody Parkey, K
How high can I put a kicker? I don’t know, but I’m excited about the fact that the Bears are actually going to be able to make field goals this year.
18. Trey Burton, TE
Unproven but very talented. Burton just could be the NFL’s breakout star in 2018.
17. Taylor Gabriel, WR
Super fast, big play threat. Can get down the field or make people miss on screens. A really interesting weapon in this offense.
16. Kyle Fuller, CB
Had a terrific 2017 season, breaking up more passes than anyone in the league. Doesn’t intercept a lot of passes and has been a horrendous tackler, but is still a solid starter.
15. Prince Amukamara, CB
Part of the reason Fuller broke up so many passes in 2017 was because teams were avoiding Amukamara. He’s always been a good corner who has struggled to stay healthy.
14. Mitch Trubisky, QB
This is a tough one to gauge because who he was, who he is and who he can be are all very different players. If we’re basing it on who he was last year, he’d be lower on this list. If we’re going off who he can be, he’d be higher. We have no idea who he is.
13. Charles Leno, LT
With improved coaching and a new scheme, we really could be talking about Leno as one of the best in the business in 12 months.
12. Adrian Amos, S
I’ve always been a big fan of Amos, but the PFF and Bleacher Report rankings are crazy. A safety who doesn’t take the ball away really has limited value. He’s still really young and has tons of upside though.
11. Eddie Goldman, DL
Immovable in the run game and has shown the ability to collapse the pocket. Goldman is a valuable member of the defense playing for a big pay day.
