Initial rosters are now set across the NFL after a whirlwind of activity took place on Tuesday. Teams needed to trim their rosters from 80 players down to 53 by the 3 p.m. CT deadline.
The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles made some difficult decisions, but have their initial roster in place as they look ahead to week one. But things can change in the NFL at the drop of a hat and it’s fair to say the Bears probably aren’t done tinkering with their team.
837 other players were recently waived or released from their respective teams over the course of the last few days, meaning plenty of talent is now available that wasn’t before. It’s very likely Poles and the Bears look into a few players to upgrade the team.
Here are eight recently waived or released players the Bears would be wise to consider, in no particular order.
1
CB Justin Coleman
The Bears appear to have a hole at their nickel cornerback position. The two players who were set to battle it out for the starting spot when camp began, Thomas Graham Jr. and Tavon Young, were both released on Tuesday. Though rookie Kyler Gordon has the versatility to move inside, they should consider Justin Coleman who was recently cut from the Seattle Seahawks.
Coleman is entering his eighth season in the league and was the favorite to win the nickel spot in Seattle before being released. He’s coming off a solid season with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 and would be a great option to plug in on the Bears defense. Seattle reportedly wants to bring him back, but perhaps the Bears get to him first.
2
T Caleb Jones
Caleb Jones is a massive tackle who was waived by the Green Bay Packers as part of the cutdowns. He’s 6-foot-9 and was one of the best linemen of the preseason for the rivals up north as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana. Jones is considered to be a project, but he oozes potential and could be a developmental piece for the Bears.
Picking up someone like Jones is a risk for where the Bears stand on their offensive line. They’re starting two relatively unproven tackles and may not have the luxury of rostering an even more raw player. Still, with the right coaching, it could be worth the risk.
3
TE Jace Sternberger
Jace Sternberger might not be the tight end you’re focusing on during the roster cuts, but he would be an intriguing option. Most fans have their eyes set on former first-round pick O.J. Howard following his departure from the Buffalo Bills. Howard has had more success in the league, but has faltered over the last few seasons.
Sternberger, meanwhile, knows the Bears and Luke Getsy’s system after spending his first few seasons with the Packers. He signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason but couldn’t catch on. Sternberger hasn’t lived up to his potential yet but he would be a nice TE3 on a team that only has two players at the position.
4
WR Preston Williams
Between two receivers with upside who were recently waived in Tyler Johnson and Preston Williams, I’m looking at the latter if I’m the Bears. Johnson is a nice player, but he’s slower and would likely benefit more in the run-blocking game. The Bears already have quite a few receivers who excel in that department.
That leaves us with Williams, who showed plenty of potential for the Miami Dolphins before an ACL tear halted his development. Since then, he’s struggled to reach those heights but has been a popular player lately with trade talks heating up. Teams still believe in his ability and the Bears should be one of them. They will already be potentially looking for another receiver with N’Keal Harry possibly going on injured reserve. Why not look for a playmaker with upside like Williams?
5
OL Alex Leatherwood
The Bears putting in a waiver claim on former Las Vegas Raiders tackle Alex Leatherwood would be a big mistake considering he is still owed millions from his rookie deal? But signing him outright as a free agent wouldn’t be the worst move. Leatherwood was the Raiders first-round pick in 2021 and quickly fell out of favor with the new regime. He struggled as a tackle and could benefit from the Teven Jenkins treatment with a move inside to guard.
As is the case with Jones, the Bears may not be in the most favorable position to take on a reclamation project like Leatherwood at this time, but it could be a move with little risk that pays off immensely.
6
C Alec Lindstrom
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus met the media on Tuesday and indicated interior lineman Lucas Patrick could play at guard when he returns from his thumb injury instead of center. With rookie Doug Kramer already out for the season, that means the center position might be more open than initially thought. If that’s the case, the Bears might be wise to consider center Alec Lindstrom from the Dallas Cowboys.
Lindstrom was waived after signing as an undrafted free agent from Boston College. He could be someone worth developing under offensive line coach Chris Morgan and would offer depth behind Sam Mustipher for the start of the season.
7
S Anthony Harris
There already have five safeties on their roster, but perhaps they move someone like rookie Elijah Hicks to the practice squad for a player of Anthony Harris’ ilk. Harris was released by the Philadelphia Eagles and is entering his eighth season in the league. He posted an opposing quarterback rating of 68.7 in pass coverage in 2021 and can still be an effective defender.
The Bears are set at the top of the safety position with Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker. But should Brisker be looking at being sidelined longer than expected with his thumb injury, Harris would be a good player to add.
8
DL Armon Watts
Outside of cornerback, the Bears arguably are the weakest at their defensive line position. One player who can fill a void almost immediately is former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Armon Watts. The veteran, who is entering his fourth season, is coming off a career year. He had 46 total tackles, five sacks, and is just 26 years old.
If he’s as effective as he was in 2021, Watts could even push players like Khyiris Tonga and Angelo Blackson on the line. He would be an excellent asset on the line.
