Today’s Chicago Bears roster shuffle is something like a game of musical chairs.
Do kids still play musical chairs these days? And what are they playing if they don’t?
While you search for answers, we’ll run down the happenings at Halas Hall:
• Starting right tackle Germain Ifedi and reserve linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu land on injured reserve. Both players left Sunday’s Bears win against the Raiders due to injuries. Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy said Attaochu’s torn pectoral muscle is a season-ending injury, confirming earlier such reports. However, the Ifedi’s knee injury wasn’t deemed to be a season-ender.
This means Ifedi will miss at least three weeks. Eventually, the Bears will re-evaluate Ifedi’s situation. And once he gets a clean bill of health, they can designate Ifedi to return by opening a three-week practice window before deciding if he will miss the rest of the year. In other words, it’ll be like what linebacker Danny Trevathan went through before his return against the Raiders last week.
With Ifedi on the shelf, things line up for Elijah Wilkinson — who was in on 35 snaps in relief of Ifedi — to start at right tackle.
• To take those available roster spots, running back Ryan Nall and linebacker Sam Kamara. Nall has 25 games of experience with the Bears under his belt. Nall joining the active roster once again puts him in the RB3 role behind Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert. The Bears will have a nice trio of backs once David Montgomery returns to full strength. In the meantime, the Williams-Herbert tag team holds down the fort, while Nall chews up special teams snaps.
As for Kamara, his next regular-season snap will be his first as aa pro. The 23-year-old rookie from Stony Brook has some splash moments in the preseason before landing on Chicago’s practice squad. Kamara’s story is a fun one:
Sam Kamara began playing football in the park and now he's a senior defensive lineman for @stonybrookfb #CAAFB pic.twitter.com/PBs458vU4E
— CAA Football (@CAAFootball) August 19, 2019
• And to round out afternoon shuffle, the Bears are bringing on three new practice squad players. For what it’s worth, each of these names comes with varying levels of familiarity with the Bears.
Ledarius Mack is more than Khalil’s little brother, as the younger Mack has spent the last two summers on Chicago’s training camp roster. I still maintain that it would be neat to see one (1) snap with a Mack coming off opposing edges. If the Brothers Romine can pitch and catch an inning with the Cubs, why can’t we get a family get together in the opposing quarterback’s lap during a Bears game this season?
Rashad Smith is a linebacker who spent time with the Bears in training camp and on its practice squad roster in 2020. Smith was poached by the Cowboys and eventually made his NFL debut for the Eagles last year.
Dareuan Parker was among the wave of UDFA signings after the conclusion of the 2021 NFL Draft. The Mississippi State product joins Dieter Eiselen, Arlington Hmbright, and Tyrone Wheatley Jr. as practice squad linemen in Bears camp right now.