SerpApi.Org
The Chicago Bears have some great players on their roster entering the 2026 season, which might lead to some players not making the team but could also open the door to huge possibilities.
This offseason, the Bears let a lot of their pending free agents walk and sign elsewhere. That led Bears general manager Ryan Poles to look for cheaper or younger options to replace those guys through free agency and the NFL Draft.
ESPN NFL writer Bill Barnwell created a hypothetical "Team Backup," going through every team's backups and adding players as needed at each position. Barnwell brought on defensive back Cam Lewis and long snapper Beau Gardner from the Bears.
"Lewis offers our roster some versatility on the back end, as he can play safety or line up as a slot cornerback. We might need to use some disguised coverages to make up for our lack of cover corners. And considering the Bears are one of the only teams carrying two long-snappers on their roster at the moment, we have to grab Gardner to get one for Team Backup."
Bears have two backups who might have been seen for how good they truly are
The big appeal in Lewis is his ability to move around in the secondary to play corner and safety. He might end up playing more slot corner than Bears fans wanted since Kyler Gordon is still hurt, but if there are issues with either Coby Bryant or Dillon Thieneman due to injuries, then Lewis could step in as well.
Gardner is interesting since he is in a position battle with Luke Elkin at long snapper. Elkin is more familiar with the Bears since he was with the team last season, so he has an advantage in winning the job. Gardner is a former All-American and Patrick Mannelly Award for being the nation's best long snapper, so he can win the job just as well.
In reality, Lewis has a much better chance of making the roster than Gardner does and will find playing time on the field either on defense, special teams, or both. Gardner may not make the roster, but he is going to get a call from an NFL team if he doesn't.
Read more: Rome Odunze is left with little room for error in 2026 (and Bears fans know it)
There are plenty of other good options Barnwell could have picked from the Bears that are considered backups, which shows the depth of the team that NFL teams may not be aware of.
Today's best reads
- Kyler Gordon faces a big test as Bears enter training camp
- Coby Bryant dropped a cold 3-word response to disrespectful rankings
- Why more people are starting to buy into buzz around Dillon Thieneman
- Overlooked free agent should continue to be overlooked by Bears
- Bears veteran signing enters camp with a chance to make everyone look wrong
This article was originally published on beargoggleson.com as Hypothetical "Team Backup" might have exposed Bears' hidden talents.
