Josh Woods Back for Last Available Spot

Rookie Caleb Johnson impressed Bears coaches enough to earn a spot on the team's 53-man roster over third-year player Josh Woods, but the Bears have brought back the veteran for the practice squad.

The Bears completed their practice squad by signing linebacker Josh Woods to their 16th and final spot.

Woods had been with the team's 53-man roster for two seasons before undrafted rookie Caleb Johnson beat him out for a roster spot this training camp. Both had initially been on the 53-man roster but changes after the final cuts left Johnson on the roster and Woods off of it.

Johnson was one of the few big surprises with the final roster because he comes from Houston Baptist, an FCS school that had dropped into the NAIA before returning in 2008 to the NCAA.

"I think he's a good young linebacker," Bears inside linebackers coach Bill McGovern said. "He shows awareness, flashes some instincts. Still a work in progress, but happy to have him."

The system Johnson played in was not a match in any way for the Bears system but more than anything else Johnson's work ethic and intelligence caught their eyes.

"Took to it, didn't back down from it," McGovern said. "Learned from his mistakes, got better each and every day he got out there. It was one of those things, like, he had a lot of opportunities and he took advantage of them. He stayed healthy, and he got out there and took advantage of those opportunities and that experience of being on the field."

Bears 16-Man Practice Squad

WR Rodney Adams

DL Auzoyah Alufohai

WR Isaiah Coulter

G/C Dieter Eiselen

DB Thomas Graham Jr.

G/T Arlington Hambright

K Brian Johnson

WR Jon'Vea Johnson

OLB Sam Kamara

RB Ryan Nall

WR Dazz Newsome

RB Artavis Pierce

OLB Charles Snowden

S Teez Tabor

T Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

ILB Josh Woods

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven