Ah, man, I was really hoping we’d be able to make it a few weeks without an unexpected roster oddity hitting the Chicago Bears.
But here we are at Packers Week in Week 2 of the NFL season with a strange update from Halas Hall as recently acquired offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood is going on the Non-Football/Illness List:
Leatherwood’s stint on the NFI list will put him out of action for a minimum of four weeks. But as Bears reporter Larry Mayer points out, Head Coach Matt Eberflus came off as optimistic in discussing Leatherwood’s return. I hope that is the case. Chicago claimed Leatherwood off waivers after the final round of preseason cuts. A first-round pick by the Raiders in 2021, Leatherwood has a unique prospect pedigree and is someone who could benefit from a change of scenery in leaving Las Vegas behind. That still could be the case. But for now, Leatherwood will be on the sidelines for the time being.
In his place, the Bears are bringing back a familiar face to the mix. In a corresponding move, the team is re-signing offensive lineman Michael Schofield. You might recall Schofield was one of the team’s signings right before the start of training camp. Schofield began the preseason as the team’s starting right guard, but quickly tumbled down the depth chart. The veteran has a ton of starting experience and versatility in spades. That could be useful as the Bears continue to piece together their offensive line.