The Chicago Bears released their first depth chart of the preseason in advance of the 2018 Hall of Fame game. The Bears will travel to Canton, Ohio to face the Baltimore Ravens on August 2.
Here's a look at five things that immediately jump out from the team's first roster breakdown.
Adam Shaheen is third string
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Shaheen was drafted in the second round last year to eventually become a starter and big contributor on offense, but after the Bears signed Trey Burton in free agency, his role became unclear. Veteran Dion Sims is listed as the top backup behind Burton, although the reality is he'll see a significant number of snaps as the in-line tight end. The fact that Shaheen isn't ahead of Sims on the depth chart isn't an absolute shock, but if he doesn't move past Sims by the third preseason game, it will be a big disappointment.
Anthony Miller is inching toward a starting job
Miller is listed behind Taylor Gabriel as a second-string receiver but his strong start to training camp could catapult him past Gabriel as the primary outside target opposite Allen Robinson. In fact, Miller may see the most reps of any receiver aside from Robinson because he can do so many things well. When Gabriel lines up inside, Miller will be outside (and vice versa). Kevin White, on the other hand, is listed behind Robinson on the depth chart and may get stuck there for a while. It's unlikely the Bears will sacrifice the playmaking ability of Gabriel or Miller to get White on the field, which could mean limited snaps for the former first-round pick. He's been flashing in practice on vertical throws downfield, however, and still has time to earn a big role.
Aaron Lynch is a backup
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It's hard to earn a starting job from the trainer's room and Lynch has yet to take the field in training camp. He's been dealing with a bum hamstring and Sam Acho is getting the lion's share of reps with the starters as a result of Lynch's absence. Kylie Fitts may soon launch past Lynch, too, calling into question GM Ryan Pace's decision to target the former 49er in free agency.
James Daniels stuck behind Eric Kush
So much for Daniels becoming an immediate starter. After the first week of training camp, Daniels is behind Kush at guard and both Cody Whitheair and Hroniss Grasu at center. While the odds are in Daniels' favor to be an opening-day starter, the fact that Kush has familiarity with the Bears' offense and was mentioned by Matt Nagy as a standout in practice may make his road to a starting job much harder than originally anticipated.
Deiondre' Hall is second-string safety
Hall was originally drafted to be a big and physical cornerback for the Bears' secondary but his more natural fit appears to be at safety, where he's surprisingly listed as the team's top reserve behind Adrian Amos. Hall has massive upside and just needs to stay healthy to prove he deserves a long look for in-season playing time. It's an extremely important preseason for him.
Here's the complete Bears depth chart:
