Chicago Bears: The Biggest Roster Strengths/Weaknesses

The Chicago Bears roster is set for the time being. They may have a couple minor moves let to make but it’s time to assess things.

Being a team in rebuilding mode, it’s obvious that they are still trying to find their identity. This means they have parts of the roster that are strong, parts that are weak and parts that are totally unpredictable. How the coaches are able to maximize the first, mask the second and get the most out of the third will go a long way towards determining how well this team does in 2017.

So here is a quick breakdown of which positions hold those respective titles, why they hold them and what the Bears might do about it.

Biggest strength: (tie) Offensive and defensive lines

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This was difficult to decide because each had arguments for and against this category. The offensive line was outstanding for the Bears in 2016 and look to be a strength again this year. However, injuries have set int to key guys like Kyle Long. The defensive line appears stacked. They already have Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman. Now they have Jonathan Bullard and Roy Robertson-Harris emerging as well. At the same time Goldman struggles to stay healthy while Harris and Bullard are unproven in the regular season. Hence the tie.

Biggest weakness: Wide receiver

The downhill trend started when Alshon Jeffery left in free agency. While that’s not all on the Bears, it’s still a tough loss. That was rendered twice as bad when Cameron Meredith, his heir apparent, badly injured his knee in the third preseason game. Suddenly the top three options for the Bears at wide receiver are Kevin White, Kendall Wright and Markus Wheaton. White has played four total games in two years. Wheaton has a broken finger. Nothing about this group is encouraging. Maybe that will change but it’s hard to see it.

Biggest wild card: Cornerback

It would be easy to put quarterback at this spot but the truth is their success might be connected directly to the situation at receiver. So it might not be fair. At the same time there are a similar amount of unknowns regarding the cornerback position. Prince Amukamara is on a one-year deal and already hurt. Kyle Fuller is in the last year of his deal and coming off missing all of 2016. Marcus Cooper as barely played but had a good season last year. There’s plenty of promise to the group, but also plenty of reason to doubt.

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