Roster Moves: Bears reach 53-man roster limit (2024)

The Bears reached the NFL's mandatory 53-man roster limit Tuesday by waiving 13 players, releasing nine vested veterans and placing offensive lineman Larry Borom, defensive lineman Jacob Martin and receiver Dante Pettis on injured reserve, with Borom and Martin designated to return.

The following players were waived:

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 (players with at least four accrued NFL seasons) were released, making them free agents who are able to sign with any 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, with six of those players having unlimited NFL experience. They can also claim players who have been waived by other NFL teams. The Bears are ninth in the waiver order among NFL clubs based on their 2023 records.

NFL clubs typically stock their practice squads with players they waived during final cuts, so several of the players trimmed from the Bears roster Tuesday could be re-signed to the practice squad.

The Bears kept two quarterbacks on their roster in Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent; four running backs in D'Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert, Travis Homer and Roschon Johnson.

They kept three tight ends in Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis; and 10 offensive linemen in 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 in DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones Jr. and DeAndre Carter.

Ten defensive linemen earned roster spots in Montez Sweat, Darrell Taylor, DeMarcus Walker, Daniel Hardy, Austin Booker, Dominique Robinson, Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings, Chris Williams and Zacch Pickens.

Linebackers who made the 53-man roster were Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Amen Ogbongbemiga and Noah Sewell.

The Bears kept 10 defensive backs in Blackwell, Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Jaylon Jones, Terell Smith, Tyrique Stevenson, Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks and Jonathan Owens.

Their three specialists are kicker Cairo Santos, punter Tory Taylor and long snapper Patrick Scales.

All 18 players selected in the fifth round or higher in Ryan Poles' first three drafts as Bears general manager made the initial 53-man roster:

2024

1-1 Caleb Williams, quarterback
1-9 Rome Odunze, receiver
3-75 Kiran Amegadjie, offensive line
4-122 Tory Taylor, punter
5-144 Austin Booker, defensive line

2023

1-10 Darnell Wright, offensive line
2-53 Gervon Dexter Sr., defensive line
2-56 Tyrique Stevenson, defensive back
3-64 Zacch Pickens, defensive line
4-115 Roschon Johnson, running back
4-133 Tyler Scott, receiver
5-148 Noah Sewell, linebacker
5-165 Terell Smith, defensive back

2022

2-39 Kyler Gordon, defensive back
2-48 Jaquan Brisker, defensive back
3-71 Velus Jones Jr., receiver
5-168 Braxton Jones, offensive line
5-174 Dominque Robinson, defensive line

In addition, 48 of the 53 players have been acquired since Poles arrived. The only exceptions are Herbert, Kmet, Jenkins, Jaylon Johnson and Scales.

Here's how the 53-man roster stands now by position (in alphabetical order):

Quarterbacks (2): Tyson Bagent, Caleb Williams.

Running backs (4): Khalil Herbert, Travis Homer, Roschon Johnson, D'Andre Swift.

Receivers (6): Keenan Allen, DeAndre Carter, Velus Jones Jr., DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott.

Tight ends (3): Gerald Everett, Cole Kmet, Marcedes Lewis.

Offensive linemen (10): Kiran Amegadjie, Ryan Bates, Nate Davis, Teven Jenkins, Braxton Jones, Doug Kramer Jr., Bill Murray, Matt Pryor, Coleman Shelton, Darnell Wright.

Defensive linemen (10): Andrew Billings, Austin Booker, Gervon Dexter Sr., Daniel Hardy, Zacch Pickens, Dominique Robinson, Montez Sweat, Darrell Taylor, DeMarcus Walker, Chris Williams.

Linebackers (5): Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell.

Defensive backs (10): Josh Blackwell, Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard III, Kyler Gordon, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Johnson, Jaylon Jones, Jonathan Owens, Terell Smith, Tyrique Stevenson.