Even though the Chicago Bears are in their second week of an offseason in which finding a new head coach is the top priority, there is other business to attend to at Halas Hall.
The offseason roster churn is upon us. And with it, some transactions.
Chicago Bears early offseason roster moves
The Bears began their offseason of roster shuffling by signing nine players to reserve/future contracts. These contracts are traditionally league-minimum deals with minimal (if any) signing bonus and are often given to practice squad players to help build out the 90-player offseason roster. Usually, these are the players who are fighting tooth-and-nail for roster spots in August. But there is no harm in getting to know some of them now:
- Offensive lineman Theo Benedet
- Offensive lineman Chris Glaser
- Wide receiver John Jackson
- Linebacker Carl Jones
- Defensive lineman Jamree Kromah
- Quarterback Austin Reed
- Offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg
- Wide receiver Samori Toure
- Tight end Joel Wilson
The most intriguing player on the list might be Ricky Stromberg. You might recall that the Bears brought Stromberg into the fold during the season as a practice squad addition.
A third-round pick (97th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft, Stromberg was one of the best interior offensive line prospects in his draft class. The University of Arkansas standout was a highly-ranked center coming out of college, but injuries limited him to just four games as a rookie in 2023, and was cut by the Washington Commanders before the start of the 2024 season. It wouldn’t make sense for Chicago to go into the season with Stromberg as its only center option. But it could make sense to put him in the mix with another starting caliber player and pit the two in a training camp battle for a starting gig.
Over at Windy City Gridiron, Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. notes that the Bears have allowed the contracts of five practice squad players to expire. That group includes cornerback Reddy Steward, safety J.T. Woods, linebacker Micah Baskerville, defensive tackle Dashaun Mallory, and tight end Tommy Sweeney. These players could circle back and sign with the Bears. But the expiration of their contracts means they are free to explore opportunities with other teams.
I find the NFL’s offseason roster churn to be fascinating. Names come and go. But once in a while, one pops up, makes a splash, and hangs around for a while. And I am looking forward to seeing if anyone fits the bill in that regard as the offseason roster shakeup continues.