Following a 24-15 preseason finale victory against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles faces a 5 p.m. CT Sunday deadline to submit the team’s initial 53-man roster to the NFL for the 2026 season.
The preseason finale brought a flurry of standout performances, notably an opening 97-yard touchdown toss from Tyson Bagent to Zavion Thomas on the Bears’ opening offensive snap. Bagent finished 16-for-17 with 208 yards and two touchdowns, posting a stellar 156.9 passer rating. Thomas added 140 receiving yards alongside a 39-yard punt return. Yet, as the final whistle sounded on Saturday night, the focus immediately pivoted from the field to the front office.
Ryan Poles and Coach Ben Johnson Grind Toward the 53-Man Roster Deadline
Working with heavy input from coach Ben Johnson, Poles spent Saturday evening in Nashville navigating final evaluations before Sunday’s 5 p.m. CT roster cutdown. While the initial 53-player group filed to the league office will inevitably be revised and massaged before the Bears arrive at their first meaningful practice of Week 1, the presence of a 16-player practice squad serves as a safety net for many players who will be let out. Still, it is a demanding duty to work through injury issues and positional concerns to put together the most competitive collection of players possible.
Quarterback Room Continuity and Offensive Line Evaluations
The quarterback position remains a picture of continuity inside the Halas Hall quarterbacks room. Caleb Williams is trying to grab the next elevator to stardom as the starter, supported by Case Keenum in his 15th season remaining a tremendous resource for both younger quarterbacks, and Bagent operating as the backup. Johnson offered high praise for that depth earlier in the month, stating, I just know I sleep well at night, knowing we have an elite backup on this roster.
Protecting that quarterback room remains a key positional focus, particularly following earlier preseason action. The Bears opened their second preseason under coach Ben Johnson with a 34-10 victory against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at Soldier Field. In that matchup, the team utilized Joe Thuney—an All-Pro guard the last three seasons—lined up at left tackle during the divisional-round playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams in January when Thuney became the fourth Bears player to start at left tackle over the course of the season, before Verse was traded to the Cleveland Browns in the offseason. Seeking answers to questions at left tackle in a bid to avoid as much turnover this season, Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills Jr. split the work at left tackle during the preseason opener against the Browns, with Amegadjie logging seven series and 34 plays and Wills logging five series and 31 snaps.
Roster Projections and Positional Battles
As Poles grinds through his Sunday, roster projections highlight several key position groups. At quarterback, the three-man projection lists Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, and Case Keenum. At running back, the group features D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, and Roschon Johnson, alongside Salvon Ahmed. Coach Johnson has been enthusiastic about Swift since the spring, noting, I think he’s primed for a big year,
with Swift’s workload expected to reflect that sentiment, while Monangai deals with a knee injury and week-to-week status.
Along the offensive line, projected names include Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, Garrett Bradbury, Theo Benedet, Luke Newman, Jordan McFadden, Logan Jones, and Ozzy Trapilo, though Trapilo could potentially start on injured reserve. On the defensive front, defensive end Marcus Davenport is being ramped up slowly with his conditioning and weight training. Meanwhile, the defensive tackle group features Grady Jarrett, Neville Gallimore, Jordan van den Berg, Kentavius Street, and James Lynch, amid ongoing discussions regarding Gervon Dexter Sr.
With the preseason now complete following the 24-15 win over Tennessee—which followed earlier preseason contests against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Browns—the regular season begins on September 13 at the Carolina Panthers.
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