Offseason team activities (OTAs) are underway for the Chicago Bears, who made several upgrades across the roster over the last few months. Well-positioned to make a significant leap out of their basement-dwelling status that concluded last season, Ryan Poles has made it abundantly clear that depth at each position is essential for this team's success.
With many promising acquisitions in the offseason, some players will be competing for several key roles when Week 1 comes around in just a few short months.
Here's a look at three Chicago Bears position battles worth monitoring.
RB1: Khalil Herbert vs. Roschon Johnson vs. D’Onta Foreman
The loss of David Montgomery to the division rival Detroit Lions was a dagger for many Bears fans. Beloved by the community and a hard-running back, his loss on the rushing attack was only moderately remedied by the reminder of Khalil Herbert’s “next-man-up” mentality (and success with that mentality) during Montgomery’s absences when injured.
The dual-threat ability of Justin Fields also helped to soften the blow. But Poles wasn’t content. In March, he inked D’Onta Foreman to a one-year deal -- a running back who outgained Montgomery and Herbert on the ground in 2022 and emerged as a superb talent for the Carolina Panthers after the departure of Christian McCaffrey.
Still, additional emphasis was put on the backfield in the draft. Texas running back Roschon Johnson fell into the Bears’ lap in the fourth round -- an exceptional talent that had many analysts touting his Day-2 potential, had he not been overshadowed by teammate Bijan Robinson.
All three will contribute to an undoubtedly strong rushing squad for the Chicago Bears in this upcoming season. While I feel that this may be Herbert’s job to lose, I won’t be surprised when the competition intensifies, and Poles is left with more decisions than reassurance on who has earned RB1 status in Chicago.
WR2: Darnell Mooney vs. Chase Claypool
The Justin Fields and DJ Moore connection has yet to see a game, but it seems as though the Chicago Bears have found their prime target and weapon of choice. With Moore in place, the Bears' wide receiver room (on paper) is their best in years.
Mooney has proven to be a stud on the field, and while most fans are still not sold on the Claypool trade (especially when the compensation for him evolved into the 32nd overall pick), I’m not ready to call it a bust. Claypool has the size factor (in comparison with Mooney) and a full offseason to get comfortable with Justin Fields and the Luke Getsy playbook. Meanwhile, Mooney is back from injury after striking just shy of 500 receiving yards and 40 receptions in 2022.
While the numbers for both of these guys aren’t entirely compelling, I expect a big Mooney bounce back this year.
For now, the advantage goes to Mooney for WR2 status, but things can get closer than one may think, especially if Claypool takes hold of all his natural physical abilities.
Center: Cody Whitehair vs. Lucas Patrick
After the draft, Poles publicly mentioned that he felt very comfortable at center, with Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick in the mix.
While Whitehair has the familiarity factor and played more games in 2022, Patrick was signed by the Bears last offseason to play the pivot. The Chicago Bears prioritized strengthening their offensive line this offseason, but center was the one position that went untouched.
Guards (Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis) and tackles (Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones) appear to be locked in - making center the one position along the offensive line that has the potential to be a bit of a toss-up. Smart money is on Whitehair, but don't count Patrick out if he gets a shot with the first team.