Chicago Bears make final cuts to reach 53-player NFL roster
The Chicago Bears on Tuesday cut the roster to 53 men to get down to the league limit.
The team announced it waived 13 players, released nine vested veterans, and placed offensive lineman Larry Bororm, defensive lineman Jacob Martin, and receiver Dante Pettis on injured reserve. Borom and Martin were designated to return to the roster.
The Bears waived the following players:
- Austin Reed, quarterback
- Brenden Bates, tight end
- Theo Benedet, offensive line
- Jake Curhan, offensive line
- Jamree Kromah, defensive line
- Dashaun Mallory, defensive line
- Micah Baskerville, linebacker
- Carl Jones Jr., linebacker
- Leon Jones, defensive back
- Reddy Steward, defensive back
- Ro Torrence, defensive back
- Cameron Lyons, long snapper
- Corliss Waitman, punter
The following vested veterans, or players with at least four accrued NFL seasons, were released, making them free agents free to sign with another team:
- Brett Rypien, quarterback
- Khari Blasingame, fullback
- Collin Johnson, receiver
- Stephen Carlson, tight end
- Aviante Collins, offensive line
- Byron Cowart, defensive line
- Greg Stroman Jr., defensive back
- Adrian Colbert, defensive back
- Tarvarius Moore, defensive back
On Wednesday, the Bears can establish a 16-man practice squad and claim players who have been waived by other NFL teams. Based on their 2023 records, the Bears are ninth in the waiver order among NFL clubs.
The Bears have two quarterbacks on their roster, Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent, and four running backs, D'Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert, Travis Homer, and Roschon Johnson.
They kept three tight ends, Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett, and Marcedes Lewis, and 10 offensive linemen, Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, Kiran Amegadjie, Coleman Shelton, Doug Kramer Jr., Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Bill Murray, Ryan Bates, and Matt Pryor.
The Bears kept six receivers: DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones Jr., and DeAndre Carter.
Ten defensive linemen earned roster spots: Montez Sweat, Darrell Taylor, DeMarcus Walker, Daniel Hardy, Austin Booker, Dominique Robinson, Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings, Chris Williams, and Zacch Pickens.
Linebackers who roster were Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Amen Ogbongbemiga, and Noah Sewell.
The Bears kept 10 defensive backs: Josh Blackwell, Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Jaylon Jones, Terell Smith, Tyrique Stevenson, Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens.
Kicker Cairo Santos, punter Tory Taylor, and long-snapper Patrick Scales also made the team.