CINCINNATI — The Bears will get a good look at their future Saturday. But as their rookies get an extended run against the Bengals, they’re also fighting for immediate roles.
Six of their seven draft picks are healthy and should play in the preseason game Saturday at Paycor Stadium — only injured linebacker Keyshaun Elliott will miss it — and all of them have a shot at significant jobs for the upcoming season. It’s a little concerning that the Bears are counting on so much from rookies when their roster should be solid by now, but that’s what happens when plans go awry.
First-round pick Dillon Thieneman is locked in as a starting safety, and fourth-rounder Malik Muhammad has been auditioning for the starting nickel cornerback spot.
Tight end Sam Roush, an early third-rounder at No. 69 overall, is basically a first-stringer as coach Ben Johnson leans into using formations with him, Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet together.
Johnson ran 94 plays with three tight ends on the field last season, fifth in the NFL, and that was when he hadn’t yet acquired the personnel he wanted. He has it with the addition of Roush, and that number could triple this season.
Wide receiver Zavion Thomas (third round) and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (sixth) are pushing the starters at their positions as well.
Only center Logan Jones, picked in the second round, is earmarked for 2027, though there’s no doubt Johnson will play him this season if at any point he believes him to be an upgrade over veteran Garrett Bradbury.
All are expected to play against the Bengals, who are sitting their starters. Johnson has not revealed his plans, including whether quarterback Caleb Williams will play. He said last week he didn’t necessarily need to see Williams this preseason, but nothing had been decided concretely.
With Williams likely to sit or play minimally and backup Tyson Bagent out with a hamstring injury, the Bears will primarily use Case Keenum and undrafted rookie Miller Moss at quarterback.
Normally, there wouldn’t be so many potential openings for rookies on a team that went 11-6 last season and aspires to be a Super Bowl contender this season. But a combination of underperformance, salary-cap crunches and bad breaks have led the Bears to hang a help wanted sign in the window.
At safety, the Bears let 2025 starters Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker leave in free agency, then spent big on former Seahawks star Coby Bryant. Bryant got hurt a week into training camp and could be out for the season, leaving Thieneman to carry the position.
They’ve endured similar travails at cornerback, where it looks increasingly likely Muhammad is going snaps outside or at nickel. He’s been at nickel lately as the Bears wait for Kyler Gordon to return and hold their breath to see if he stays healthy.
With the team unwilling to say whether it expects Gordon back for the Sept. 13 season opener at the Panthers, Muhammad is in line to start that game. If Gordon is good to go for that, there’s a path for Muhammad to start outside if Tyrique Stevenson falters.
Johnson has pushed for more speed offensively since the Bears hired him, and they drafted wide receiver Luther Burden (4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash) last year and Thomas (4.28) this year. He absolutely will find ways to turn Thomas loose this season.
Thomas’ involvement in the offense will depend on how well he grasps the playbook, but the Bears also might need him if Burden’s groin injury drags on longer than projected.
Van den Berg and undrafted rookie Jayden Loving are knocking on the door at defensive tackle because that position has become somewhat of a free for all.
Veteran Grady Jarrett wasn’t 100% last season, and durability will continue to be a concern. Gervon Dexter, a 2023 second-round pick, hasn’t impressed the Bears enough to earn a contract extension as he heads into a prove-it season. Jarrett and Dexter will start Week 1, but could see their playing time dip if the rookies are good enough to cut into it.
On the other side of the line, the Bears are all-in on Bradbury going into the season and have stressed the gap between his ability to lead the offensive line in Year 8 versus Jones’ as a newcomer. Bradbury started in the Super Bowl last season; Jones is about to double his NFL experience Saturday from one preseason game to two.
It’s not apples to apples because of the added responsibility at center — basically the quarterback of the o-line — but the Bears essentially kept left tackle Ozzy Trapilo on the shelf last season until Week 12, when Johnson believed he was better than Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet.
It’s precarious to put so much on rookies, but this class has a chance to make the case that it’s ready. They’ve shown a lot of potential in practice the last few weeks, and strong showings in preseason games will weigh heavily with the coaches.