NEWSLETTER
When GM Ryan Pace said he did not expect any more players would follow Eddie Goldman in opting out, he did so when there was plenty of time for players to re-think how they felt. And at least one player has decided to follow in Goldman’s footsteps.
Thus, the summertime roster churn continues for the Chicago Bears:
We have activated DT John Jenkins and TE Eric Saubert off the reserve/COVID-19 list. Safety Jordan Lucas has opted out of the 2020 season.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 3, 2020
The Bears activated nose tackle John Jenkins and tight end Eric Saubert from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Both players landed on the list last week. And while we don’t know if either tested positive for coronavirus, we know what needed to happen for each to re-join the team. Protocols outline that players who go on the list must test negative three times in a four-day period before returning to the active roster. So with that in the clear, Jenkins and Saubert return to the active roster.
But in order for those players to return, two spots had to be cleared.
The most notable one comes by way of safety Jordan Lucas opting out of playing in the 2020 season. Lucas, who turned 27 on Sunday, signed as a free agent in March. And despite slotting behind Tashaun Gipson Sr. and Deon Bush on the depth chart, expectations were for Lucas to be a major player on special teams. Last year, Lucas played 63 percent of the Chiefs’ special teams snaps and figured to team up with Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson as reserve DBs who were core special teams players. With Lucas opting out, Chicago will look elsewhere to bolster its third phase.
And in another move that cleared roster space, the Bears announced they waived offensive lineman Dino Boyd. The Bears signed Boyd to their practice squad in November and spent seven weeks on the unit. The offensive line room is crowded, making Boyd a long-shot to earn a roster spot. But that’s one fewer body for competition.
The Bears’ active roster stands at 80.
