2018 training camp outlook: Ranking each position for the Bears based off of need

Training camp for the upcoming 2018 NFL season is officially upon us, as the Chicago Bears reported to training camp on Thursday. It’s an exciting time for Bears fans everywhere, as this year’s team looks to be significantly better on paper than last year’s roster.

After an active offseason, the Bears successfully overhauled many positions on their roster. While they don’t seem to have a finished product quite yet, the moves they made has produced an aura of excitement around the team that hasn’t been felt in quite some time.

To take a look at where Chicago’s roster stands at this point, we’re going to rank each position on their team by need. We did this exercise before free agency a few months ago and repeated the task as the NFL Draft drew closer. As a way to provoke a bit of excitement for the future, we included some free agents at each position in the 2019 offseason, as well as a handful of 2019 draft prospects at nearly every position.

16. Long snapper

Current players:

• Patrick Scales

Patrick Scales is entering his fourth season with the Bears, and has beaten the likes of Aaron Brewer and Andrew DePaola to make it as far as he has. Coming off of a torn ACL, it will be Scales’ job to ensure that he hasn’t lost a step.

2019 free agents:

• Zak DeOssie
• Clark Harris
• L.P. Ladouceur

15. Running back

Current players:

• Jordan Howard
• Tarik Cohen
• Benny Cunningham
• Taquan Mizzell
• Ryan Nall
• Michael Burton (fullback)

The duo of Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen is one of the most tantalizing backfield duos in the NFL. The former being the thunder to the latter’s lightning, they compliment each other well and serve as a massive contrast in running styles. Benny Cunningham seems to be a safe bet to make the 53-man roster, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the Bears choose to carry a fourth back. Taquan Mizzell is an athletic scat back with value as a receiver, while Nall is a powerful runner who also has receiving value and could potentially battle for the fullback spot with Michael Burton. The first three backs are pretty much set in stone, though, so neither of them will see much playing time.

2019 free agents:

• Le’Veon Bell
• David Johnson
• Mark Ingram
• Jay Ajayi
• Marshawn Lynch

2019 draft prospects:

• David Montgomery, Iowa State
• Damien Harris, Alabama
• Justice Hill, Oklahoma State
• Bryce Love, Stanford
• Damarea Crockett, Missouri

14. Wide receiver

Current players:

• Allen Robinson
• Taylor Gabriel
• Anthony Miller
• Kevin White
• Josh Bellamy
• Javon Wims
• Bennie Fowler III
• Marlon Brown
• Tanner Gentry
• Demarcus Ayers
• Matt Fleming
• Garrett Johnson

The most improved position on Chicago’s roster, the wide receiver position has undergone a colossal facelift since the end of the 2017 season. Allen Robinson has proven that he can be a legitimate No. 1 option when healthy, while Taylor Gabriel and Anthony Miller serve as more-than-capable complementary pieces with big play potential. Kevin White is likely entering his last season as a member of the Bears, so his 2018 campaign will be more of an audition tape for other teams to prove that he can stay healthy.

2019 free agents:

• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Stefon Diggs
• Larry Fitzgerald
• Kelvin Benjamin
• Quincy Enunwa

2019 draft prospects:

• A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
• N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
• David Sills V, West Virginia
• Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State
• Anthony Johnson, Buffalo

13. Kicker

Current players:

• Cody Parkey

The Bears are hoping that Cody Parkey will serve as the first kicker to stick around in the long haul that they’ve lacked since they cut Robbie Gould in 2016. Coming off a season in which he made a career-high 91.3 percent of his field goal attempts, Parkey will look to build upon his performance in the Windy City.

2019 free agents:

• Robbie Gould
• Jake Elliott
• Stephen Gostkowski
• Harrison Butker
• Adam Vinatieri

12. Inside linebacker

Current players:

• Danny Trevathan
• Roquan Smith
• Nick Kwiatkoski
• Joel Iyiegbuniwe
• Jonathan Anderson
• John Timu
• Josh Woods

Roquan Smith has yet to play a down in the NFL, but, if he proves to be as efficient at the next level as he was in college, then he and Danny Trevathan will be one of the better inside linebacker duos in the league. Nick Kwiatkoski serves as a reliable and battle-tested backup who has shown that he can play well in a starting role. Joel Iyiegbuniwe is an intriguing - and still relatively mysterious - prospect whom the Bears could aim to develop into a future starter, but his defensive role in 2018 figures to be fairly miniscule.

2019 free agents:

• C.J. Mosley
• Arthur Brown
• Deone Bucannon
• Avery Williamson
• Kwon Alexander

2019 draft prospects:

• Devin White, LSU
• Devin Bush, Michigan
• T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin
• Josh Allen, Kentucky
• Te’Von Coney, Notre Dame

11. Tight end

Current players:

• Trey Burton
• Adam Shaheen
• Dion Sims
• Daniel Brown
• Ben Braunecker
• Colin Thompson

Chicago is banking big time on Trey Burton’s potential, as made evident by the four-year, $32 million contract that he received in free agency. The quarterback on the memorable “Philly Special” play, Burton’s athleticism and route running savvy will be utilized at the “U” tight end, where his ability to make plays lined up across the line of scrimmage will be put to use. Adam Shaheen gets the chance to prove that his underwhelming rookie season was just a product of misuse by the coaching staff, while Dion Sims will serve as a solid, albeit overpaid, blocking tight end.

2019 free agents:

• Delanie Walker
• Tyler Eifert
• Jared Cook

2019 draft prospects:

• Noah Fant, Iowa
• Caleb Wilson, UCLA
• Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri

10. Quarterback

Current players:

• Mitchell Trubisky
• Chase Daniel
• Tyler Bray

Mitchell Trubisky is entering his second NFL season, and the expectations for him are much higher than they were last season. Nonetheless, the North Carolina alumnus is in a good place to succeed, given the weapons around him. His backups have also aided his transition into the new offense, as both Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray have worked with Matt Nagy in Kansas City. Neither are necessarily quarterback you’d feel comfortable with if they had to start a game, but they’re both perfect for what they’re on the roster for: insurance options to help Trubisky make a leap of tremendous proportions this season.

2019 free agents:

• Tyrod Taylor
• Josh McCown
• Teddy Bridgewater

2019 draft prospects:

• Justin Herbert, Oregon
• Jarrett Stidham, Auburn
• Drew Lock, Missouri
• Ryan Finley, North Carolina State
• Easton Stick, North Dakota State

9. Center

Current players:

• Cody Whitehair
• Hroniss Grasu
• Dejon Allen

Cody Whitehair had a bit of a down year in 2017 compared to his impressive rookie season, and part of that was in part to his being moved over to guard for four games: he started two games at each guard spot last year. He did start to get into a groove near the end of the season, though, and working with offensive line coach Harry Hiestand could help him improve this year. Hroniss Grasu hasn’t lived up to his third-round draft status and could be fighting for a job this year. Undrafted free agent Dejon Allen is a versatile and athletic lineman who could be a player to watch as a potential dark horse heading into training camp.

2019 free agents:

• Matt Paradis
• A.Q. Shipley
• Mitch Morse

2019 draft prospects:

• Connor McGovern, Penn State
• Michael Deiter, Wisconsin

8. Offensive guard

Current players:

• Kyle Long
• James Daniels
• Eric Kush
• Jordan Morgan
• Earl Watford
• Rashaad Coward
• Will Perichak
• Jeremi Hall

The Bears could potentially have an impressive duo at guard, but a lot has to go right for such a situation to unfold. Kyle Long has been unable to consistently stay healthy - he has missed 14 games in the past two seasons - and rookie James Daniels is a natural center who will presumably have some form of growing pains as he transitions into a new position. The depth is interesting, as neither Eric Kush nor Jordan Morgan played a single down in 2017. One of the more unheralded storylines heading into training camp is Rashaad Coward’s transition from defensive lineman to offensive lineman. Although he’s unlikely to make the 53-man roster this year, his transition will be interesting to track throughout the next two months.

2019 free agents:

• Andy Levitre
• Mike Iupati
• D.J. Fluker
• Rodger Saffold
• Jonathan Cooper

2019 draft prospects:

• Martez Ivey, Florida
• Beau Benzschawel, Wisconsin
• Michael Jordan, Ohio State

7. Defensive tackle

Current players:

• Eddie Goldman
• John Jenkins

Eddie Goldman managed to stay away from injuries for the most part last year, playing in 15 games as opposed to six in 2016. He has been one of the more underrated nose tackles in the league when healthy. Although the team will more than likely aim to re-sign him - his contract expires at the end of this season - such a deal is no guarantee. If he does happen to leave, then the Bears will a have huge hole on their defensive line. John Jenkins was only on the active roster for eight games last year and isn’t necessarily a spectacular insurance option.

2019 free agents:

• Ndamukong Suh
• Geno Atkins
• Sheldon Richardson
• Grady Jarrett
• Bennie Logan

2019 draft prospects:

• Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
• Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
• Olive Sagapolu, Wisconsin

6. Safety

Current players:

• Adrian Amos
• Eddie Jackson
• Deon Bush
• DeAndre Houston-Carson
• Nick Orr

Surprisingly enough, the Bears’ safety position isn’t all that bad, which makes the fact that it’s as high as it is on this list a good sign of the direction of the team. Adrian Amos was a reliable run-stopping, hard-hitting strong safety last year, while Eddie Jackson flashed quite a bit of promise in coverage in his rookie campaign.

2019 free agents:

• Tyrann Mathieu
• Earl Thomas
• LaMarcus Joyner
• Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
• Kareem Jackson

2019 draft prospects:

• Lukas Denis, Boston College
• Taylor Rapp, Wisconsin
• Jaquan Johnson, Miami (FL)

5. Punter

Current players:

• Pat O’Donnell
• Ryan Winslow

Pat O’Donnell was only given a one-year deal in free agency this year, which may speak to the Bears’ lack of faith in their 2014 sixth-round pick. Even though he’s coming off of the best statistical season of his career, it seems as though his roster spot beyond 2018 is no guarantee. He’ll more than likely beat out Ryan Winslow, though, who doesn’t serve as much of a threat to the man christened as “Megapunt”.

2019 free agents:

• Shane Lechler
• Ryan Allen
• Colton Schmidt

4. Defensive end

Current players:

• Akiem Hicks
• Jonathan Bullard
• Roy Robertson-Harris
• Bilal Nichols
• Bunmi Rotimi
• Nick Williams
• Abdullah Anderson

Akiem Hicks is the best player on Chicago’s defense, but, now more than ever, there are question marks aplenty at the defensive end spot alongside him. Both Bullard and Robertson-Harris are young and promising prospects, but neither have proven to be capable of taking on a full starting workload yet. Defensive end is the only major positional battle on the roster this year, so how the Bears manage that will be an interesting storyline throughout camp. Nichols likely won’t be a serious threat to join that conversation yet, but, if neither of the two third-year veterans stand out, he could be in another year or so.

2019 free agents:

• Aaron Donald (RFA)
• Muhammad Wilkerson
• Allen Bailey

2019 draft prospects:

• Ed Oliver, Houston
• Christian Wilkins, Clemson
• Raekwon Davis, Alabama
• Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State
• Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame

3. Offensive tackle

Current players:

• Charles Leno Jr.
• Bobby Massie
• Bradley Sowell
• Matt McCants
• Brandon Greene

Charles Leno Jr. isn’t a star, but he’s a reliable offensive tackle and should have a job on Chicago’s offensive line for quite some time. Bobby Massie, on the other hand, doesn’t quite fit that bill. While he has flashed some promise at right tackle since he was signed in 2016, he hasn’t been nearly consistent enough to warrant being considered a long-term solution at his position. Bradley Sowell serves as your run-of-the-mill swing tackle, while the other two tackles face long odds of making the 53-man roster.

2019 free agents:

• Taylor Lewan
• Duane Brown
• Jake Matthews
• Jared Veldheer
• Ereck Flowers

2019 draft prospects:

• Greg Little, Ole Miss
• Trey Adams, Washington
• Jonah Williams, Alabama
• Mitch Hyatt, Clemson
• David Edwards, Wisconsin

2. Cornerback

Current players:

• Kyle Fuller
• Prince Amukamara
• Bryce Callahan
• Cre’Von LeBlanc
• Deiondre’ Hall
• Sherrick McManis
• Marcus Cooper
• Kevin Toliver II
• Rashard Fant
• Michael Joseph
• Doran Grant
• Jonathon Mincy
• John Franklin III

The Bears aren’t necessarily weak at cornerback, but they don’t have any game-changers at the position. Kyle Fuller is coming off of the best year of his career, but he may be better suited as a reliable No. 2 cornerback. Prince Amukamara also had a decent year last year, but his inability to create turnovers makes his long-term fit a question. Bryce Callahan is one of the league’s better nickelbacks, while Cre’Von LeBlanc has been a very reliable stand-in at the position. An interesting storyline heading into camp is three of Chicago’s undrafted free agents: Kevin Toliver II, Rashard Fant and Michael Joseph. All considered to be draftable prospects by many, it wouldn’t be surprising to see at least one of them sneak onto the 53-man roster.

2019 free agents:

• Ronald Darby
• E.J. Gaines
• Jason Verrett
• Brent Grimes
• Morris Claiborne

2019 draft prospects:

• Andraez “Greedy” Williams, LSU
• Michael Jackson, Miami (FL)
• Iman Marshall, USC
• Kendall Sheffield, Ohio State
• DeAndre Baker, Georgia

1. Edge rusher

Current players:

• Leonard Floyd
• Aaron Lynch
• Sam Acho
• Kylie Fitts
• Isaiah Irving
• Kasim Edebali
• Andrew Trumbetti

As was the case before the draft, edge rusher remains the Bears’ weakest position. Leonard Floyd still has potential to become a reliable pass rusher, but his inability to stay on the field has hindered his development. Aaron Lynch has been injured more often than not over the past two seasons, and the same applies for rookie Kylie Fitts. Sam Acho is a decent backup, but shouldn’t be relied on to be much more than that. While there is quite a bit of potential in most of Chicago’s defense, the edge rusher position doesn’t have much of it.

2019 free agents:

• Khalil Mack
• Jadeveon Clowney
• DeMarcus Lawrence
• Ezekiel Ansah
• Brandon Graham

2019 draft prospects:

• Nick Bosa, Ohio State
• Rashan Gary, Michigan
• Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
• Joe Jackson, Miami (FL)
• Montez Sweat, Mississippi State

Jacob Infante is a Chicago Bears writer at SB Nation’s Windy City Gridiron. He is also an NFL Draft writer at USA Today SMG’s Draft Wire. He can be reached through Twitter @jacobinfante24 or emailed at jacobinfante1208@gmail.com.