Bears roster projection: Here's what the 2024 team will look like Week 1

The Chicago Bears are getting closer to putting their 2024 roster together as final roster cuts will be made by Tuesday afternoon.

The Bears' roster is full of talented players and looking to turn their fortunes behind, claim their first winning season since 2018 and make their first playoff appearance since 2020.

Here's a 53-man roster prediction when roster cuts are finalized Tuesday afternoon.

Related: Bears waive 9 in first wave of roster cuts

QB

• Caleb Williams
• Tyson Bagent

Williams is, to no surprise, the starter heading into the season with Bagent playing the backup role. The question that remains is whether head coach Matt Eberflus keeps two or three quarterbacks on the roster. The expectation is that he keeps two and attempts to bring back another on the practice squad. Brett Rypien could be brought back with his experience or Austin Reed's youth could be something to build on in the future.

RB

• D'Andre Swift
• Khalil Herbert
• Roschon Johnson
• Velus Jones Jr.
  
• Travis Homer
• Khari Blasingame

The Bears have a solid running back room that features solid depth from the first to third spots alone. Jones is getting a roster spot after switching to tailback from wide receiver and provides some versatility that only helps Chicago potentially strengthen further its weapons on offense. Homer will make the team after undrafted rookie Ian Wheeler tore his ACL in the final preseason game.

WR

• DJ Moore
• Keenan Allen
• Rome Odunze
• Tyler Scott
• DeAndre Carter

The trio of Moore, Allen and Odunze will be carrying the workload at the receiver position with Scott proving himself worthy of the fourth spot on the depth chart. Carter makes the roster based on the need for an experienced punt returner and Jones switching his position to running back.

TE

• Cole Kmet
• Gerald Everett
• Marcedes Lewis

This room may have already been set to go even before training camp began, as long as everyone remained healthy before the regular season. Kmet will get the lion's share of targets but Everett and Lewis provide even more of a punch for offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's two-tight-end sets.

OL

• Braxton Jones
• Teven Jenkins
• Darnell Wright
• Ryan Bates
• Nate Davis
• Coleman Shelton
• Matt Pryor
• Kiran Amegadjie
• Bill Murray

The starting offensive line is expected to be Jones, Jenkins, Wright, Bates or Davis, and Shelton. Bates is able to fill in at center and guard but will be "week to week" for the time being, opening up opportunities for others. Pryor provides some flexibility as he can play tackle and guard. Murray gets a roster spot after Larry Borom suffered an injury in the final preseason game.

DL

• Montez Sweat
• Andrew Billings
• Gervon Dexter
• DeMarcus Walker
• Austin Booker
• Zacch Pickens
• Darrell Taylor
• Chris Williams
• Dominique Robinson

The defensive line is a position that the Bears have put an emphasis on — particularly the edge rusher position — after ranking as one of the worst in the NFL last year. Sweat, Billings, Dexter and Walker are expected to start while Pickens, Booker, Taylor, Williams and Robinson will supply the depth. Taylor and Williams are newcomers via recent trades and Booker has impressed Eberflus this preseason. Daniel Hardy isn't mentioned here as Eberflus recently stated that Robinson is likely to be involved in a rotational role off the edge, likely solidifying his role.

Related: Bears bolster defensive line in trade with Seahawks

Related: Bears make another trade, add DT from Browns

LB

• Tremaine Edmunds
• T.J. Edwards
• Jack Sanborn
• Noah Sewell
• Amen Ogbongbemiga

The Bears have a great group of linebackers, headlined by Edmunds. Along with the two-time Pro Bowler, Edwards and Sanborn will start for Chicago with Sewell and Ogbongbemiga rounding out the group. Ogbongbemiga gets the nod over Micah Baskerville for the final spot due to his versatility and production on special teams.

CB

• Jaylon Johnson
• Kyler Gordon
• Tyrique Stevenson
• Terell Smith
• Josh Blackwell
• Jaylon Jones

Headlined by one of — if not the best — cornerback in the NFL, this group is potentially one of the better, deeper units in the league. Johnson, Gordon, Stevenson and Smith have locked up the top four spots and Blackwell and Jones are projected to round out the group. Even though Reddy Steward showed out in his final preseason game, he doesn't make the cut here, along with Greg Stroman. It's most likely some of the hardest decisions the Bears have to make heading into the regular season.

S

• Kevin Byard
• Jaquan Brisker
• Jonathan Owens
• Elijah Hicks
• Tarvarius Moore

Another talented group, the safety position will feature Byard instead of Eddie Jackson and Brisker will start alongside him. Owens and Hicks will likely be the go-to reserves and Moore gets the final spot due to a great showing in the final preseason game. Adrian Colbert is the odd man out.

K/P/LS

• Cairo Santos (K)
• Tory Taylor (P)
• Patrick Scales (LS)

Santos is entering his fifth season with the Bears. Chicago drafted Taylor in the fourth round as he's expected to elevate the punting game for the team. As for Scales, he's been with the Bears since 2015.