Predicting the Bears' 53-man roster entering training camp: The first team of the Ben Johnson era

We're only five short days away from rookies reporting to Chicago Bears training camp, while the vets will be joining them at Halas Hall three days later. All signs point to this season being a marked improvement over the dumpster fire that engulfed last year, and camp will be an all-important landmark as new head coach Ben Johnson attempts to shape the team in his image.

Just like every season, there promises to be some hot competition to make the squad. Last year the Bears were on Hard Knocks for the first time ever, so fans got their most up-close look at the process. This year we won't have an all-access pass, but there should be no less drama.

New coaching staffs usually shake up the status quo, and for a Bears team that dropped 10 straight games before beating the Packers in the final game of the season, there are very few players who should feel safe. Johnson will be implementing a wildly new offensive system, while new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will undoubtedly be looking to alter most of what Matt Eberflus did.

Bears fans should be careful not to read too much into training camp when setting expectations for the coming season, but these weeks can still be instructive on how things will be different from years past. Here's our best guess for what the Week 1 roster will look like.

Quarterback:

If there's a surprise here, it's that I think the Bears keep all three quarterbacks on the roster. Many have speculated that Tyson Bagent could be traded or Case Keenum will be released, but Bagent has proven that he can play when given the chance. Keenum is 37, but his role as a mentor to Caleb Williams will be more than worth a roster spot. Keeping both would be a smart move.

Running back:

I'm going to keep banging this drum until the Bears prove me wrong. I think D'Andre Swift will be a surprise cut before the season starts. He's not a special player, and there are three intriguing guys behind him with untapped potential. I see Monangai and Roschon being a 1A, 1B situation, but Wheeler could earn touches with his breakaway speed. Homer's value as a special teams player gets him a spot.

Wide receiver:

No surprises in the wide receiver room, as most everyone expects Tyler Scott to be the odd man out of this group. I'll be interested to see if the arrival of Ben Johnson reinvigorates DJ Moore. If not, Rome could become the ostensible No. 1 before season's end. Burden is eager to get revenge on every team that passed on him, while Zaccheaus and Duvernay give the Bears better back-end depth than they've had in quite a while.

Tight end:

This should be another easy position group to predict. The Bears already let Gerald Everett go, and unless they shockingly trade away Kmet, this should be the finished depth chart. Smythe has a history with Ben Johnson, and Loveland being taken in the first round cements him as an important piece both now and in the future.

Offensive Line:

What a difference a year makes with this group. I can't tell you how good it is not to see Nate Davis' name anywhere. The arrivals of Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman significantly raise this line's ceiling, but it also has the trickle-down effect of giving the Bears better depth. Watch out for rookie Ozzy Trapilo to make a run at the starting left tackle spot if Braxton Jones isn't 100 percent.

Defensive Line:

The defensive line was another area of emphasis this offseason, with Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo coming over in free agency and rookie Shemar Turner being taken in the second round. We wrote last week about how we expect Zacch Pickens to be among the players cut, and that will be especially true if Ryan Poles makes another trade for a D-lineman. Just last year he traded for Chris Williams and Darrell Taylor after the final preseason game, so don't be surprised if he still has a bullet or two left in the chamber.

Linebacker:

Beyond Edwards and Edmunds, things are pretty grim at linebacker. Hyppolite's selection in the fourth round of the draft was panned by most as a reach, while Ogbongbemiga and Sewell rarely see action outside of special teams. Power Echols, an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina who was extremely productive in college, could seize a major share of the playing time, though the more likely scenario is that the Bears spend most of their time in nickel and dime with their deep defensive backfield.

Cornerback:

Tyrique Stevenson needs to make a statement this season if he wants to keep his job, especially after last year's maturity issues. Terell Smith is wildly underrated as a cover guy, and rookie Zah Frazier has the speed to stay with anyone. This unit is led by All-Pro Jaylon Johnson, but Bears fans may be most excited to see how do-everything nickelback Kyler Gordon is used in Dennis Allen's system after signing a three-year, $40 million extension in April.

Safety:

Don't be shocked if undrafted free agent Major Burns finds a way to make the team if the Bears let a quarterback go or opt for a thinner offensive line. Saving that, these four are locked in as important contributors. Hicks and Owens saw the field plenty last year as Brisker missed the final 12 games after suffering another concussion, but when healthy, Brisker was on track for a career year, while Byard proved himself after joining the team in free agency last year.

Special teams:

To say that Santos doesn't have the strongest leg in the league is a gross understatement, but he's still very reliable. He made 21-25 field goals and 25-26 extra points last year. Of those five total misses, three were due to being blocked. Taylor does have a booming leg, but the hope this year is that Caleb's draft day text to his fellow rookie in which he warned him that he wouldn't be punting much comes true a year late.