Preseason is in the rearview mirror, and the NFL regular season is less than two weeks away. The small amount of time between is a period of speculation, predictions, and building anticipation for a long 17-game year.
Before we reach that point however, every NFL roster has to be trimmed down to 53 players before the season starts. That means the Chicago Bears have many hard decisions to make in the next 24 hours, as Tuesday is the deadline for roster cuts.
Both the young, talented, but unproven, players and the hardened veterans of the team are not invulnerable to cut day, and players across the spectrum will be bidding Chicago farewell.
With that being said, let’s discuss the seven best Bears players who will be cut on Tuesday.
Note: This list includes players who have already been released.
1
QB P.J. Walker
If rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent is the preseason fan favorite, P.J. Walker is almost certainly the fanbase’s least favorite player. And Walker was among the first roster cuts by the Bears.
Walker was brought in on a two-year, $4 million dollar deal this offseason due to his play down the stretch for the Panthers last season. General manager Ryan Poles and the coaching staff believed they were getting a confident, accurate quarterback who would keep the Bears’ ship afloat should starter Justin Fields suffer an injury.
Unfortunately, Walker was not able to showcase those attributes in the preseason. The former Panther was severely inconsistent through the three exhibition games, failing to make accurate reads and passes against opposing team’s second and third-string players. Walker threw an interception in his first few snaps of the preseason, and it took three games for him to throw a TD pass.
And Fields replacement PJ Walker throws an INT on the very first attempt..pic.twitter.com/zm9r2RpJcP
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 12, 2023
Even considering Walker’s major struggles, the Bears would still have considered keeping him as the QB2 because of his NFL experience. Unfortunately for Walker, Bagent made the most of every rep he played in the preseason, demonstrating good accuracy and maturity as he led the Bears offense to score on multiple drives. Head coach Matt Eberflus acknowledged that a competition was created because of Bagent’s heroic play, something he didn’t expect.
Walker’s poor play combined with Bagent’s blazing-hot start made Walker a surprise roster cut. Walker has failed to live up to what Chicago thought he would be, and Bagent exceeded every expectation the team had for him.
2
WR Velus Jones Jr.
Former third-round pick Velus Jones Jr. is the most talented player that will be cut by Chicago, bringing what many hoped would be a promising Bears career to an end.
Remember how exciting it was when the Bears drafted Jones a couple of years back? He was touted as a dynamic returner in college who had explosive game-breaking speed, and Chicago brought him in to be a receiver that would stretch defenses vertically. Two years later, well… his speed was certainly real, that’s for sure. As for his actual competence as an NFL player, it’s a different story.
It was expected that Jones would bounce back from a disappointing rookie season with a solid preseason that would instill hope in the fanbase. Considering the fact that he’s on this list, it would be an understatement to say he did not accomplish that. Jones continued to struggle mightily as a kick returner, fumbling the ball away in the first game of the preseason on a muffed punt. The Bears seemingly pulled the plug on the kick returner experiment, rotating other receivers like rookie Tyler Scott and veteran Dante Pettis (now on injured reserve) to take his place.
It didn’t help that Jones was sidelined by injury during the preseason. With Daurice Fountain and Nsimba Webster released, Jones might have a shot to make the initial roster. But it’s no guarantee that he’ll be on the roster come Week 1, especially with the Bears having top priority in the waiver wire.
3
CB Kindle Vildor
Cornerback Kindle Vildor has been a solid contributor for a number of years, but the team’s recent influx of talent at the position spells doom for the veteran.
The writing on the wall for Vildor. The longtime defender has barely received any playing time in the preseason, he’s been buried on the depth chart and he isn’t a major contributor on special teams. Vildor’s stock fell as soon as the Bears brought in rookie cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith in this year’s draft, and his absence in the preseason only confirms his impending release.
Vildor’s tenure as a Bear is coming to an end.
4
RB Trestan Ebner
Trestan Ebner has been lost in the whirlpool of talented running backs, and his inability to stand out — due to being sidelined by injury — puts him on the chopping block.
Ebner only received snaps on offense in the Bears’ first preseason game before suffering an undisclosed injury that sidelined him for the remaining games. While the running back could be exclusively utilized as a special teams player, it’s likely the Bears will retain only three to four backs, and players like Travis Homer and Robert Burns have made more of an impact on both offense and special teams.
Ebner’s career in Chicago is in its twilight days.
5
CB Michael Ojemudia
The Bears’ surplus of talented cornerbacks left Michael Ojemudia at a disadvantage, but not because of a lack of production.
Ojemudia was a recent acquisition by the Bears, who signed the former Denver Bronco in the middle of the 2022 season. Chicago’s decision to cut Ojemudia was attributed to his position group and not his production, as the defender deflected four passes in the preseason.
Unfortunately, his name was among the initial wave of roster cuts by the Bears.
6
WR Daurice Fountain
Yeah, this one makes me sad, too. Wide receiver Daurice Fountain had himself a highlight play against the Colts, making a leaping grab over a Colts’ defender for a touchdown in the second preseason game. But he’s expected to be released by the Bears.
Daurice Fountain’s stats tonight…
• 5 catches
• 85 yards
• 1 TD #Bears pic.twitter.com/R8BezHrWs9— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) August 20, 2023
Much like Ojemudia, Fountain wasn’t released because of a lack of production. The Bears harbor several talented receivers on the roster, and Fountain falls short of their talent and their contributions on special teams.
7
DE Dominique Robinson
Dominique Robinson has had ample opportunity to cement himself as a dependable option along the Bears’ defensive line but has failed to reach his full potential, and the Bears could part ways with the pass rusher.
Robinson has been a non-factor in the Bears’ three preseason games, only getting one hit on a quarterback. The great play of fellow defensive ends Terrell Lewis and Trevis Gipson makes Robinson buries Robinson deeper down the depth chart.
Robinson has failed to take advantage of a position that desperately needed someone rise to the occasion. But Robinson’s saving grace could be Gipson being traded or cut, as the team granted him permission to seek a trade.
