Depth Chart Discussion

[Chewie]

Chester Taylor released. Add that to the Manumaleuna release and that makes two big free agency busts. Wouldn't be surprised if Chester ended up in Minnesota again.

EDIT: Whoops. Apparently CT still with the team per Trib.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

So figuring out this 53 man roster:

Here's my best shot:

There look like 41 "locks" to me. These are both locks to be on the 53 man and to be active each week (except for injury of course)
QB, Cutler, Hanie
RB, Forte, Barber, Bell
FB
TE, Davis, Spaeth
WR1, Hester, Bennett, Hurd
WR2, Williams, Knox
OT, Webb, Carimi, Omilaye
OG, Williams, Louis
C, Garza, Spencer
DE1, Peppers
DE2, Idonije, Wotton
NT, Adams, Toeaina
DT, Melton
SLB, Roach
ILB, Urlacher
WLB, Briggs, Iwuh
CB1, Tillman, DJ Moore
CB2, Jennings, Bowman, Graham
FS, Wright, Conte
SS, Harris, Steltz
K, Gould
P, Podlesh
LS, Mannelly

So with the 53 man and Practice Squad, we will have 61 spots. Leaving 20 guys. I've got a list of 26. Now several of these are locks for the 53 man, but not the active roster each week. First the fringe 45 Gameday roster guys:
Endlerle- A lock for the 53 man roster, but no reason to have him active each week unless Hanie or Cutler isn't 100%
Sanz- Has a good shot for the 53 man. Slight possibility he doesn't. Probably won't be active though
Edwin Williams (G)- Fine as a backup. Usually don't need more than 7 active OL though.
Addison- With our DE depth, he has a good shot to actually be active some weeks, especially with Wotton's injury. Good bet for 53 man .
Paea & Okoye- At least one will be active each week. Possibly both. Both 53 man locks.
JT Thomas- Probably out of necessity will make active roster
J Moore & Venable- Both are good bets to be on 53 man roster. Probably only room for one to be active each week.

Next is the Fring 53 man roster guys. Some are eligible and likely P.S. fodder if they miss the roster
Taylor- Probably good as gone. Getting a tryout tonight.
Clark, Eddie Williams (FB), & Kyle Adams - Lumping the remaining FB and TE together. I think two of the three could make the 53 man, though maybe just one. Clark's status really comes down to his injury.
Josh Davis (OT) & Levi Horn (OG)- With 8 OL already, both will have to prove a lot to make the 53 man cut. Levi Horn has versatitlity to play G & T. They are both P.S. material but could sneak in.
Harrison- As good as gone. Only way I see otherwise is if Addison doesn't make the team and they want the extra DL, forcing Melton to slide out to DE some.
Decicco- Here by default of our terrible LB depth.

Finally the Practice Squad Fodder. Any are obviously able to be picked up by another team when we cut them, as happened with LeFevour last year:
Hughes (RB), Ta'ufo'ou (FB), Andre Smith (TE), Kris Adams, Linnenkohl (C), Laptad (DE), Jones (CB), Walters (SS), Lanning (P)

So my final guess at 53 man ("Top 45" Bolded)
QB, Cutler, Hanie , Enderle
RB, Forte, Barber, Bell
TE, Davis, Spaeth, Clark, Adams
WR1, Hester, Bennett, Hurd
WR2, Williams, Knox , Sanzebacher
OT, Webb, Carimi, Omilaye
OG, Williams, Louis, Edwin Williams
C, Garza, Spencer
DE1, Peppers, Addison
DE2, Idonije, Wotton
NT, Adams, Toeaina, Paea
DT, Melton, Okoye
SLB, Roach, Thomas
ILB, Urlacher Decicco (gifted this spot)
WLB, Briggs, Iwuh
CB1, Tillman, DJ Moore, J Moore
CB2, Jennings, Bowman, Graham
FS, Wright, Conte, Venable
SS, Harris, Steltz
K, Gould
P, Podlesh
LS, Mannelly
Biggest things that could change is signing someone who was recently waived (Like a LB Pretty please), someone like Taylor deying odds and earning a spot, or an unexpected injury (or in the case of Clark an injury that is more serious). For the first time in a while I don't see a "redshirt" candidate to spend the year on the IR.

Tonights game won't change much. Someone is more likely to lose a spot than gain one.

[Chewie]

I'd say that's a pretty good stab at it! Not sure about Venable, though, as I just know nothing about him and I'm not sure we want 5 safeties this year.

I share your sentiment in looking at the waiver wire for a LB. TE is another position where it could get interesting as we've got a lot of bodies there.

Hope to see Linnenkohl make the practice squad as he looks like he belongs.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/re ... story.html

We're getting there. A couple names of those cut are guys I'm hoping for the Practice squad, so we'll have to track them to see if they're picked up.

[Chewie]

Holy smokes- looks like JT Thomas is getting the Lovie Smith redshirt year as he was placed on IR per Brad Biggs twitter due to back issues. Looks like we HAVE to hit the waiver wire for a LB now.

Dez Clark waived per Dan Pompei tweet. That gives Adams a good shot.

Chester Taylor and Marcus Harrison gone. I'm sure we were hoping to get a 7th rounder for CT.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

Not that JT Thomas was great or anything, but our LB corp is scary bad. Dear Lord, please find a vet. Is Pisa available? I know he's an injury concern, but we are weaakkk.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

http://www.csnchicago.com/09/03/11/Moon ... feedID=626

I'm just flabergasted how a couple of years ago the Bears' deepest position was LB and now a poor man's Brian Urlacher wannabe (note, not a poor mans Urlacher, or an Urlacher wannabe, but a wannabe poor man's Urlacher) as our 5th LB. And one of our starters wants out. If we have any injury, we might as well run a 5-2 or nickel package.

[aibie06]

Offense

...Quarterbacks (3) Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Nathan Enderle
Comment: Easy call; look for Enderle to challenge for No. 2 next year.

tsk!tsk!

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[SportsWorld]

Bears just signed Brandon Merriweather.