After trimming their roster to 53 players Tuesday, the Bears planned to stay up late doing their homework.
By virtue of having the worst record in the NFL last season, they’re set to have the No. 1 pick on the waiver wire Wednesday.
“It’s good to go first,” said coach Matt Eberflus, who noted the Bears have “several positions” where they’re considering upgrades.
They could look to pad their injury-riddled offensive line, whether it’s in the interior or with a swing tackle they prefer over Larry Borom. They traded for Dolphins center/guard Dan Feeney late Monday.
Eberflus also hinted Tuesday the Bears are interested in adding a veteran quarterback to join starter Justin Fields and rookie Tyson Bagent, either through waivers or free agency. They also could seek help at edge rusher — where they’re looking to improve off the NFL’s worst sack total last year — and at backup safety.
Cut day was as straightforward as it has been in a decade for the Bears. Their lineup of skill-position players has been telegraphed for weeks: running backs Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer and Khari Blasingame; receivers DJ Moore, Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tyler Scott and Velus Jones, and tight ends Cole Kmet, Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis.
Keeping center Doug Kramer, a Hinsdale Central and Illinois alum, alongside backups Lucas Patrick, Ja’Tyre Carter, Feeney and Borom was somewhat surprising. So was keeping A.J. Thomas as the fourth safety.
The Bears kept five edge rushers: starters Yannick Ngakoue and DeMarcus Walker and backups Dominique Robinson, Terrell Lewis and Rasheem Green. Linebacker Mykal Walker was cut despite having 107 tackles for the Falcons last year.
The Bears also waived two of their 2020 draft picks, convinced that the performance escalators that tripled their salaries in 2023 didn’t match their upsides. Edge rusher Trevis Gipson, whose agent was granted permission to seek a trade, and cornerback Kindle Vildor were both set to make $2.7 million. Gipson, who had seven sacks two years ago, said on social media that Chicago would “forever have a spot in my heart.”
