Chicago Bears: 5 Cuts The Fans Might Not See Coming

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller (86) during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

The Chicago Bears rebuild continues. Nobody believes this team is ready to compete for the playoffs, but they’re headed in the right direction.

All rebuild often feature a ton of roster turnover, often resulting is some unexpected players getting the boot. Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett and Brandon Marshall spring to mind. Each move had its own merit but it’s proof positive that GM Ryan Pace is dead set on making this his team. As is his right. That being said, this could mean some more notable names that fans might not expect could get the boot before opening day this September.

Here are some of them in no particular order.

Zach Miller (TE)

There is no doubt that when healthy Miller can be a viable target in the passing game for the Bears. Problem is his body just can’t withstand the pounding of an NFL season. Then on top of that he turns 33-years old in October. With Adam Shaheen, Dion Sims and Daniel Brown all young, ascending talents it’s going to take consistency from Miller to keep his job. Otherwise the Bears will take their $2.125 million in cap space and apply it somewhere else.

Hroniss Grasu (C)

No man exemplifies how brutal the NFL can be more than Hroniss Grasu. Here’s a young man who appeared ready to take his career to the next level in 2016 as the starting center. Then he tears his ACL, forcing the Bears to shift Cody Whitehair to that spot. Whitehair has an outstanding year and appears to have claimed that job permanently. Suddenly Grasu finds himself no longer a starter and facing more competition than ever for one of the few backup jobs. Considering the belief he’s only good for playing center and not guard? That could be his downfall.

Mitch Unrein (DE)

He was a nice addition to the locker room as a veteran leader in 2015 and became one of the better run defenders up front. Last season though he seemed to struggle a bit more. There are many factors that could’ve gone into that, some of them not his fault. At the same time he’s 30-years old, something the Bears are sure to notice. Also he has a lot more competition now with Jonathan Bullard, Jaye Howard, John Jenkins and Rasaad Coward all pushing for roster spots.

Harold Jones-Quartey (S)

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Last season many believed safety Harold Jones-Quartey could be the next big thing for Chicago. He ended 2015 on a high note, making a number of plays. For whatever reason his game regressed last season. He made a number of mistakes that eventually got him benched and since then the Bears have added two more bodies to the position in Quintin Demps and Eddie Jackson. Unless he’s able to showcase special teams value, he might be out.

Kyle Fuller (CB)

Hope still lives that the former Bears 1st round pick can recover to become a decent starter moving forward. Kyle Fuller was headed that way at the end of 2015. Then the knee injury knocked him out last year. Since then the team has added a load of new bodies at cornerback including Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper. It’s going to take a quality training camp and preseason for Fuller to prove that he still belongs on the roster.

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