Chicago Bears Roster 2019 Bears Roster

Top 3 Bears Roster Questions of 2019-2020

What will Chicago do about the kicking game?

The Chicago kicking game has been famously problematic in recent seasons. Last year’s kicker, Cody Parkey, missed the 43 yarder in the Wild Card Round, of course, but the problems have always extended beyond that one miss. In the regular season, Parkey ranked 34th in field goal percentage, hitting on just 77 percent of his opportunities. Taking into account the last three seasons, the Bears have converted on just 76 percent of their field goal tries. Parkey has since been let go, but if reports from training camp are to be believed, the kicking game is in just as much trouble as ever. According to coach Matt Nagy, eight different kickers were brought out to rookie minicamp, and their performances were unspectacular. Former coach John Fox, now working as an analyst for ESPN, recently said that the Bears have had the worst offseason in the NFL thanks to their kicking problems. If that’s the case, expect a lot of 2-point conversions and 4th down attempts for Chicago this year.

How will the running backs split carries?

Tarik Cohen is a game-changing talent, but he’s not a three-down runner necessarily. His size (5’6”, 181 pounds) prohibits him from pounding the ball up the middle play after play. Instead, he mostly operates as a shifty pass catcher, as evidenced by his 71 receptions and 725 yards. The Bears will presumably do whatever it takes to keep him healthy and explosive all year. Thus, they’ll want to provide opportunities to other runners. In Howard’s absence, those runners figure to be Mike Davis and David Montgomery. In Seattle last season, Davis rushed for 514 yards as a bruising, up-the-middle, runner. That skillset should pair well with Cohen’s. Montgomery, a rookie out of Iowa State, has a more diverse skill set. Not only could he run the ball effectively in college, but he also showed promise as a pass catcher. It’s very possible that Montgomery wins out as the season wears on, becoming the primary back alongside Cohen, while Davis is relegated to a goal line role.

Who will be the top option at receiver?

Unlike most contenders, the Bears do not have a proven number one receiver on their roster. Allen Robinson led the team with 754 yards last year in just 13 games, Taylor Gabriel accounted for 688 yards, and rookie Anthony Miller had 423. Adding in Cohen’s 725 yards from the running back position and Trey Burton’s 569 yards at tight end gives Chicago perhaps the most balanced group of pass catchers in the league. Picking which one of these players will end next year as the top option is difficult, but the smart money should be on Miller. As a rookie, he led the team with 7 touchdowns, demonstrating trustworthy hands in scoring opportunities. In his second year, his game should only expand.