NEWSLETTER
Defensive line is one of those areas of strength that isn’t a concern for the Bears if everyone is healthy.
But four days after Bilal Nichols missed practice due to a toe injury suffered in last Saturday’s preseason loss to Buffalo, Chicago is kicking the tires on some depth:
#Bears brought in 3 defensive tackles for a tryout. pic.twitter.com/ZsyGzms5Kx
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) August 27, 2021
The Tribune’s Brad Biggs reports three defensive tackles were visiting Halas Hall for tryouts.
The most notable name in the bunch is P.J. Johnson, who was a seventh-round pick by the Lions in 2019. Johnson, 25, has no appearances in a regular-season game. However, he has ample experience bouncing around camps. The Arizona product has spent time with the Lions, Chargers, Seahawks, Cardinals, and Panthers. If Johnson makes his way to the Bears, it will mark his third different team this offseason. Johnson already has stints in Carolina (April 14-May 18) and Detroit (August 7-23) under his belt in 2021.
Josh Avery spent some time in Packers camp earlier in the offseason. The Southeast Missouri State product also spent part of the 2020 offseason with the Seahawks, as well as having as tint with the Alphas of the Spring League (which is a professional football developmental league). Auzoyah Alufohai has three professional games on his résumé stemming from spending time with the Texans in 2020. The 24-year-old West Georgia product didn’t appear in the Bears’ win against Houston last year. But he made his first career tackle against the Colts last December.
Maybe the tryouts are a sign that Nichols’ injury — which Head Coach Matt Nagy reportedly doesn’t view as a long-term thing — might be worth keeping tabs on as we build up to Week 1. Or perhaps it is a nod to a belief that there is no such thing as having too much depth at the line of scrimmage. Whatever it is, that the Bears had some guys in for tryouts is worth sharing.
