The Chicago Bears could have as many as eight new starters when the NFL season opens. Here's a starting lineup projection:
Offense
Quarterback (Mike Glennon): Glennon gets the first crack at the job after Chicago signed him for $16 million guaranteed in 2017. The veteran passed for a combined 29 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for the Bucs during the 2013 and '14 seasons, but he hasn't started a game in two years. Second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky will eventually replace Glennon, but no one knows exactly when.
Running back (Jordan Howard): As a rookie, Howard finished second in the NFL in rushing yards, with 1,313. He became the fifth rookie in league history to average at least 5.0 yards per carry on 250-plus rush attempts.
Wide receiver (Cameron Meredith): Meredith injured his thumb in the offseason program, but he's still an ascending player. A former college quarterback, Meredith caught 66 passes for 888 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Wide receiver (Kevin White/Victor Cruz): This one is a toss-up. White was the seventh overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft. The Bears badly want him to emerge after injuries forced him to miss all but four regular-season games in his first two seasons. But can he stay healthy? Cruz is coming off a couple of down years with the Giants -- injuries also played a role in his decline -- but the veteran has a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons on his résumé.
Wide receiver (Markus Wheaton): The Bears paid Wheaton $6 million guaranteed in 2017. The plan is for him to start. Wheaton played in just three games last season, but he averaged 17.0 yards per catch in 2015.
Tight end (Dion Sims): Chicago could end up starting two tight ends: Sims and rookie second-round choice Adam Shaheen, who looked impressive during the offseason program. Sims is making $6 million guaranteed in the first year of his contract. With 26 receptions last season, he seemed to be scratching the surface of becoming a two-way tight end in Miami.
Left tackle (Charles Leno): A former seventh-rounder, Leno has made 30 starts over three seasons. He is scheduled to earn only $1.797 million in 2017.
Left guard (Kyle Long): The Bears believe Long, who has been voted to three Pro Bowls, is probably best suited to play left guard. But the key for Long is health. He is still recovering from a gruesome ankle injury suffered last November.
Center (Cody Whitehair): Whitehair had a terrific rookie year after the club moved him to center in the wake of Hroniss Grasu's season-ending ACL tear. Whitehair, a second-round pick in 2016, should be a fixture in Chicago's starting lineup for years to come.
Right guard (Josh Sitton): The Bears have also explored the possibility of moving Sitton from left to right guard. Sitton signed a big deal -- $9.5 million guaranteed -- with the Bears after the Packers cut him. Sitton, who started 12 games last season, battled another injury in the offseason program.
Right tackle (Bobby Massie): Massie is entering the second year of his deal with the Bears. He started 15 games in 2016 and played reasonably well following a few early season hiccups.
Defense
Defensive end (Akiem Hicks): Hicks registered a career-high seven sacks in 2016. He was named Week 13 NFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording 13 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble in Chicago's victory over San Francisco.
Nose tackle (Eddie Goldman): Goldman played in just six games last season, but he's a productive defensive lineman when healthy. Goldman, listed at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, has seven career sacks in 21 appearances.
Defensive end (Jaye Howard): Howard had his best season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, when he recorded 57 tackles and 5.5 sacks. His primary competition for a starting job will be veteran Mitch Unrein and 2016 third-round pick Jonathan Bullard. Howard is another player working his way back from injury.
Outside linebacker (Pernell McPhee/Willie Young): McPhee eats up the most salary-cap space ($7.825 million) on Chicago's defense. He played in just nine games last season because of injuries. The Bears technically have three starting outside linebackers because Young, who signed an extension last summer, is another core member of the defense. Young had 59 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2016.
Inside linebacker (Jerrell Freeman): Despite serving a four-game suspension for violating the league's PED policy, Freeman finished with 96 tackles and seven tackles for loss.
Inside linebacker (Danny Trevathan): Trevathan ruptured his patellar tendon in late November and could begin the regular season on the PUP list. But when healthy, the starting job belongs to Trevathan, whom the Bears signed for $12 million guaranteed last offseason. Until Trevathan returns, the Bears can go with Christian Jones or Nick Kwiatkowski.
Outside linebacker (Leonard Floyd): The ninth overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft, Floyd had seven sacks in 12 games as a rookie. Floyd suffered multiple concussions last season.
Cornerback (Prince Amukamara): Amukamara, who has seven career interceptions, signed a one-year deal worth $7 million guaranteed.
Cornerback (Marcus Cooper): Cooper, who had 69 tackles and four interceptions for the Arizona Cardinals in 2016, is making $6 million guaranteed this year. He missed parts of the offseason program because of soft tissue issues.
Safety (Quintin Demps): The veteran intercepted six passes for the Houston Texans in 2016. The Bears are paying Demps $5 million guaranteed in the first year of his contract.
Safety (Adrian Amos): Amos might be the lone holdover in Chicago's secondary. Although the Bears were unhappy with their safeties last year, Amos started 14 games. He has zero career interceptions.
Special teams
Kicker (Connor Barth): Barth connected on 17 of 22 field goal attempts last season. He missed just one PAT.
Punter (Pat O'Donnell): O'Donnell had another solid season, averaging 44.0 yards per punt for a net average of 38.4. He dropped 24 punts inside the 20-yard line.
Long-snapper (Patrick Scales): Scales handled all the long-snapping duties last season.