Bears Add Physicality to Practice Squad
The Bears have something they haven't had in a few years.
They have a fullback, on their practice squad anyway.
Ravens 2021 fifth-round draft pick Ben Mason signed with the Bears practice squad after being released from the New England Patriots practice squad earlier in November.
The last Bears fullback was Michael Burton in 2018. He went on to Washington and New Orleans and the Bears lined up tight end J.P. Holtz in a fullback position when they wanted an extra blocker in the backfield.
There is a difference between tight ends and players who actually play the fullback position Mason was a fullback at Michigan and was cut by the Ravens after being drafted, then on their practice squad and cut before New England signed him.
Mason is 6-foot-3, 254 pounds and was mainly a sledge hammer for Jim Harbaugh's offense when he was healthy. Mason played almost a full season in 2018 and caught one pass for 15 yards while carrying 33 times for 80 yards. What he did very well was run for short yardage touchdowns as a change-up. He had seven TD runs on his 33 attempts that year.
Known for a mohawk haircut and his famed quote, "I just like hitting people," he made it into Michigan's lineup as a freshman playing mostly special teams and some fullback and voted by the team as its "toughest player," according to the Detroit Free Press.
To make room on their practice squad for Mason, the Bears cut linebacker Rashad Smith, a player they originally had as an undrafted free agent who was cut and then went to Dallas, Philadelphia and San Francisco before returning to Chicago's practice squad.
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