Getty Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.
The Chicago Bears will have their most competitive roster in place under head coach Matt Eberflus when the team rolls into 2024 training camp in late July. With more competition comes more danger for the underperformers, though — especially for two former mid-round draft picks firmly stuck on the roster bubble.
NBC Sports Chicago’s Alex Shapiro recently identified both wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. and defensive end Dominique Robinson — both from Ryan Poles’ first draft class — as returning Bears “on cut watch” heading into camp this summer. Neither player has developed into a quality contributor for Chicago over his first two seasons, and both are trending into the territory where it would be appropriate to label them as “busts.”
Jones, a 2022 third-round pick, is the team’s top kick returner and could benefit from the NFL’s new kickoff rules with a career return average of 27.4 yards. At the same time, he has struggled to crack the Bears’ receiving rotation in a meaningful way (11 career receptions) and could lose his roster spot if he cannot find ways to stand out in camp.
As for Robinson, the 2022 fifth-round pick has been virtually a non-factor as a pass rusher for the Bears. He recorded 1.5 sacks and seven tackles in the season opener of his rookie season, but he has notched just 35 tackles and a half-sack in his 27 games since.
“Even with Austin Booker joining the rotation, defensive end is not the deepest group on the team, so Robinson might stick around thanks to a numbers game alone,” Shapiro wrote on May 26. “But if some player like Khalid Kareem or Jacob Martin outperforms him over the summer, the Bears could cut bait.”
Windows Still Open for Velus Jones & Dominique Robinson
The forecast is not the sunniest for either Jones or Robinson heading into Year 3, but just because they are down and on the roster bubble does not mean they are out yet.
Jones lacks the offensive production to be a sure thing for the 53-man roster, but the Bears seem confident in his ability to be a difference-maker with the new kickoff rules. If he can show enough growth as a pass-catcher, the merits of his return ability might be enough for the Bears to feel comfortable putting him fifth or sixth in the rotation.
Then again, Velus Jones is already 27 years old. To put it into perspective, he is just 27 days younger than No. 1 receiver DJ Moore, a 2018 first-round selection. The Bears can look past his age to a point, but it also intensifies the scrutiny if he does not improve.
Robinson has a shakier case than Jones. Like Booker, the Bears once considered him to be a raw talent with developable skills, but the occasional flashes he showed as a rookie have not come to fruition through two seasons. In 2023, he recorded just five pressures and finished as Pro Football Focus’ lowest-graded edge rusher among those who played at least 100 defensive snaps. That’s a tough reality for a team thirsting for pass rushers.
Shapiro is right: Numbers can be the key to Robinson earning a spot on the 53-man roster in 2024, but numbers alone will not save him. He must prove himself over guys like Kareem and Martin, who are looking to secure spots behind Montez Sweat and DeMarcus Walker. Things will only get more challenging, too, if the Bears decide to sign another veteran pass rusher to the roster, such as possibly re-signing Yannick Ngakoue.
Which Other Bears Could Lose Their Jobs in 2024?
Shapiro also mentioned fullback Khari Blasingame and offensive tackle Larry Borom as veterans who could wind up on the chopping block for the Bears during training camp.
Blasingame could be safe if new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has plans to make use of a fullback in his offense, but he didn’t use one often in Seattle and leaned on big-bodied non-fullbacks to play the role when necessary. A changing offense could put him on the outside looking in, especially with just 28 all-purpose yards in two years.
Meanwhile, Borom might be the most sensible cut candidate on the Bears’ roster. The 2021 fifth-round pick has played 39 games at offensive tackle over the past three years, but the arrival of third-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie is a direct threat to his job as the team’s swing tackle. The Bears also signed veteran Matt Pryor in free agency, giving them enough depth behind their starters to feel that Borom is expendable.
The Bears would clear about $1.6 million in cap space if they cut Blasingame and another $3.1 million if they cut Borom, so there are financial incentives, too.