Bears 53-man.....Part IV

The defensive back position has had to be shuffled a little from what I expected since last Saturday's game vs. Washington.  So far we have 3 QBs, 3 RBs, 3 TEs, 6 WRs, 9 OL, 9 DL, 6 LBs, leaving 10 spots for DBs, along with the 3 special teamers.

ST- Robbie Gould- K, Adam Podlesh- P, Patrick Mannelly- LS.  I'll start with these guys since these are no-brainer roster spots.  However, if Adam Podlesh can't go opening day, this leaves one of the other 50 players off the roster, as the Bears will need to carry 2 punters for a week or 2.  But for now, will assume Podlesh is good to go come Sept 9th.  And just an FYI, Mannelly is the best longsnapper in NFL history.

S- Major Wright, Chris Conte, Craig Steltz, Brandon Hardin, Anthony Walters -  What's an NFL season without the Bears having question marks at the safety position.  The talent looks fine at the position, but with Conte and Hardin going down with injuries last week, this position is once again in flux.  Operating under the assumption that Hardin is not placed on IR with what looked like an ugly neck injury, the Bears have to keep a 5th safety.  2011 UDFA, Walters has looked decent anyway and plays a good special teams, but becomes the 4th safety if Hardin can't go early or at all this season.  If Hardin is IR'd, it opens up a roster spot for someone else, but it also kills the safety depth whenever Major Wright gets hurt...which will happen at some point(s) this year.

CBs- Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings, Kelvin Hayden, DJ Moore, Isaiah Frey - The CB position takes a hit if 5 safeties are kept.  Ideally, you'd keep 4 safeties and 6 CBs, but the ability of Kelvin Hayden to be a 3rd starting caliber CB makes 5 CBs possible rather than taking a body away from the O or D lines.  Frey makes the roster because he would be scooped up if exposed to waivers.  Jonathan Wilhite is an experienced CB that was signed this offseason, but he's the odd man out right now.  If that roster spot opens from Hardin hitting the IR, it's likely going to be his.  7th round pick, Greg McCoy is the 7th CB right now and the hope is he slides thru to the practice squad.