The Bears have to shave their 75-man roster to 53 by Saturday, making Thursday night’s exhibition finale at Cleveland that much more important for guys on the bubble. Vaughn McClure looks at five players worth monitoring.
1. HENRY MELTON
,
Defensive lineman
Melton, a fourth-round pick in 2009, has earned praise from defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli for his toughness, but the numbers might not be too kind as Melton appears to be in a battle with close buddy Jarron Gilbert. He has played both inside and on the edge.
2. GARRETT WOLFE
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Running back
The former third-round pick has been in an intense battle with Kahlil Bell for the third-running back spot. The way Mike Martz praised Wolfe, one would think he already locked up a spot. “He has such unusual ability,” Martz said. “We’re experimenting to see different ways we can get him the ball.”
3. JOHAN ASIATA
,
Guard
Asiata started training camp running with the first team at left guard but Lance Louis has surpassed him. Asiata and tackle James Marten have to follow his lead Thursday. “Those guys are fighting for their careers, at least in Chicago,” offensive line coach Mike Tice said.
4. EDDIE WILLIAMS
,
Fullback
Williams hasn’t seen a lot of opportunities but still hopes to find a place as an H-Back and special-teamer or wherever the Bears might need from him. It helped that fellow fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou was waived after spraining his MCL. “I’m putting out a resume for the Bears and for everybody else, really,” Williams said.
5. AL AFALAVA
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Safety
The former sixth-round pick surprised everyone by playing his way into the starting lineup last season. Now, Afalava finds himself fighting for a job. As secondary coach Jon Hoke explained, Afalava’s diminished role simply came down to numbers. But maybe injuries at safety could help his cause.
