Chicago Bears: 5 Players who likely played their final game with team

The Chicago Bears play their final game of the 2024 season. It also marks the final time these five players will wear the team’s uniform.

The Chicago Bears‘ awful, frustrating 2024 season comes to an end this Sunday. The Bears face their hated rivals, the Green Bay Packers. It will be interesting to see if Chicago, who will play their starters, can beat the Packers, who will likely sit down as many starters as possible.

At this point of the season, many players are competing for a spot on the team in 2025. As bad as this season has been, there is a lot of talent on the roster. These are players who should be the building blocks for a successful season. Of course, the holes they have are gaping, and the coaching staff that comes in will be crucial to tie everything together.

Some players may already know that they won’t return in 2025. Their play on Sunday would then become an audition for the other 31 teams in the NFL. That means that while the outcome of the game won’t really matter (even if they lose their draft position likely won’t change very much), how these players perform will be very important for their careers.

Sure, the Chicago Bears would love to end their 11-game losing streak against the Packers. However, that may be the last thing on the team’s list of priorities. Having everyone come out healthy is important. Additionally, having certain players do well and help themselves for 2025 is also key.

Here are five players who likely played in their final game with the Chicago Bears.

Keenan Allen, WR

Keenan Allen came to the Chicago Bears in an offseason trade with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Bears gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire the six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. The hope was that he would be instrumental in the development of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

The season did not get off to a good start for Allen or the Chicago Bears. He was injured in the first game of the season and missed the next two games. He and Williams struggled to get on the same page. Williams tried to focus on Allen but the connection was not happening.

Allen’s catch percentage of 56.8 percent and yards per target average of 6.1 yards are both the lowest of his career. Later in the season, they improved their connection but Allen’s 719 yards are still the fewest in his career since 2015 (not including 2016 when he only played one game due to injury).

Allen spoke early in the season about being open to returning to the Chicago Bears. However, recently his words seemed to indicate that he is instead looking to move on from the Bears. When asked about possibly returning, Allen had this response.

You got to prove it to all 32 teams. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. The last name on your back is really what matters.

Saying that he plays for himself and not the team is not something that will endear Allen to the Chicago Bears or their fans. Chicago is a blue-collar city and embraces blue-collar players. It seems that Allen is looking forward to leaving Chicago. If that is the case then Chicago will bid him farewell quickly.

Coleman Shelton OL

The feeling of many Chicago Bears fans is that the entire offensive line should not return in 2025. The unit was bad even before injuries decimated it. One of the players who should not return is center Coleman Shelton.

The Chicago Bears signed Shelton as a free agent this offseason. He was supposed to compete with Ryan Bates for the starting center spot but Bates has dealt with injuries all season. Shelton took over and while he started all 16 games, he has been far from being a consistent blocker.

Shelton has allowed the fourth-most pressures (28) and fourth-most hurries (20) among centers. Opponents have been able to penetrate the middle of the line and get to the backfield too easily. Not only has it affected Williams (67 sacks), but also the rushing game, which ranks 25th in yards.

While Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles did his best to improve the skills positions, he constructed the offensive line cheaply. Shelton signed a one-year $3 million contract. There were several other better options, and of course, a little bit more expensive who had better seasons.

If Poles spent money for a center, he could have gotten Lloyd Cushenberry, Mitch Morse, or Aaron Brewer. All three gave up 15 or fewer pressures this season. That would have gone far in helping Williams. Even with the sacks and the pressures, the rookie still has 3,393 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions. Imagine if he had just a little bit better protection!

Now Poles will have to look for another center (among other linemen) again this offseason.

Teven Jenkins, OL

Let’s stay on the offensive line We could have an entire article on just the offensive line, but we will just mention two. The other lineman who should not return is offensive guard Teven Jenkins.

Jenkins was the Chicago Bears’ second-round pick in the 2021 draft. Many analysts felt that picking up Jenkins in the second round was great for the team. He was projected as a first-round pick. However, the Bears went with quarterback Justin Fields.

There was a reason for Jenkins’ drop. Teams discovered that he had a back issue that most likely would require surgery. The Chicago Bears took a chance and drafted him. Almost immediately, they found out that the back did require surgery. He had it and only played in six games late in the season.

That was just the beginning of Jenkins’ health troubles. He has missed 22 games in his four seasons, missing multiple games in every season. While he has played a career-high 14 games this season, he has missed plenty of time on the field, failing to complete many games. In 2024, he has injured a total of five body parts.

Jenkins is in the final season of his rookie contract. He would be looking for a bigger deal this offseason. He has done a good job when he is on the field but he struggles too much to stay on the field. He is not helping the team when he spends more time in the trainer’s room than the field.

The Chicago Bears have not even started any contract talks with Jenkins. They were likely waiting to see how the season transpired. Seeing the same old story could mean the end of his time in Chicago.

As a perfect encapsulation of his career, Jenkins’ status for this week’s game is unknown due to a calf injury. Missing his first and possibly the last games of his career in Chicago would be the perfect bookend situation to describe his career with the Bears.

DeMarcus Walker, DL

The offensive line is not the only concern the Chicago Bears have in the trenches. They also have needs along the defensive line. We saw with the injury to defensive tackle Andrew Billings that the team did not have the depth needed to withstand an injury to a starter.

However, a bigger need is at defensive end. The Chicago Bears have had trouble getting to the quarterback in recent seasons. They need to improve their pass rush so opposing quarterbacks don’t sit all day in the pocket to find open receivers.

The Chicago Bears signed DeMarcus Walker in 2023 to shore up the pass rush. In 2022, he had 7 sacks. However, it has taken him 33 games in Chicago to reach that total. He has been underwhelming so far. The Bears need to make a change and parting ways with Walker could be the move to make.

The Bears would save a little over $5.2 million by cutting Walker. According to Overthecap.com, the team is projected to have just over $82 million in cap space. That is fifth-highest in the league. Freeing up some space by letting underwhelming players and adding more space to go after key positions is always a good thing, though.

Also, the Bears have Ausitn Booker. They are high on him though he has not played very much. Although he has played in every game this season, he has only played 27 percent of the defensive snaps. He showed a lot of talent in college but only had limited experience. The Bears wanted to bring him in slowly and then have him contribute more in 2025.

Walker could be a good trade piece. He has no guaranteed money in 2025 and that season will be the final one of his contract. Another team could trade for him and if it does not work out it will not cost anything to let him go.

Kevin Byard, Safety

Another player who could go and free up salary cap space for the Chicago Bears is safety Kevin Byard. Byard was signed shortly after the Bears cut former All-Pro safety Eddie Jackson. Byard is a two-time All-Pro himself.

Byard has not had a bad season. However, he has not made any impact either. Furthermore, he will be 32 next season. He is at the end of his career. With players at this age, they can go downhill in a hurry. He may have one more big season in him, as great players have done in the past. On the other hand, he could look very old very quickly.

The Bears would save $7 million in cap space if they cut Byard. They could use some of that money to go after a younger veteran who could make a bigger impact. They would need a good veteran to solidify the safety unit. Jaquan Brisker is another player who is good when on the field but he has missed too many games. A solid, stable veteran would be critical for success.

 

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