NEWSLETTER
When I say the never-ending roster churn doesn’t stop, just know I’m not doing so because I need to fill a word quota.
The NFL’s roster churn is seemingly never-ending. Especially when it comes to the bottom third of any given team’s roster. And when we look at a Chicago Bears team that is early in a building process, there is an expectation that there will be plenty of shakeups and roster moves. So if you were thinking the roster shuffle was done when 53-player rosters and practice squads were set, think again.
With that being said, the Bears announced a pair of Friday afternoon transactions:
Parting ways with a pair of defensive linemen on the bottom third of the roster won’t make big waves. However, the timing is curious. Clearing up a pair of roster spots this late in the game could open the door to a handful of different possibilities.
For instance, the Bears could be making their way toward adding another receiver. If Velus Jones Jr.’s hamstring is problematic enough, GM Ryan Poles would be wise to add more depth at the position. One way to do that while manipulating roster flexibility would be to sign a receiver onto the practice squad (taking Sam Kamara’s spot), then promoting that player onto the active roster on game day (filling Pennel’s vacancy). By doing it this way, you can maintain roster maneuverability while also patching some holes on the back end of the depth chart.
Of course, receiver isn’t the only position the Bears could look at to fill roster spots this late in the week. For instance, they could do the same with an offensive lineman. Heck, they could mix and match positions. They’ve got two roster spots to fill. Might as well be creative while you have the openings.
