Ten Bears to Cut to Form Proposed 80-Man Roster

COVID-19 apparently is doing the job of the Turk, the NFL's version of the grim reaper.

He's the one who comes to tell players to go see coach and bring their playbook. The role is real but the character fictional, except in Chicago back when the Bears had current Titans assistant director of pro scouting Kevin Turks telling players to see coach and bring their playbook.

According to an NFL Network report, the players have agreed with the NFL and there will be 80 players at training camps rather than 90.

It may not be a simple matter of telling 10 undrafted free agent to stay home. With COVID-19 present, some of these players may need to be brought back as replacements for ill players.

So with these precamp cuts it might be "coach wants to see you, bring your playbook and make sure we've all got your phone number."

This means 10 Bears will have to come off the roster. Some players may need to be kept who normally wouldn't be expected to stay around simply to let the team have good practice reps in scrimmage.

Here's the BearDigest.com version of the precamp COVID-19 Turk.

G Dieter Eiselen

This is the South African rugby player who converted to American football to play guard at Yale. It's a nice story for a movie. This is real life.

S Kentrell Brice

There are plenty of veteran safety candidates in the fold and Brice offers the least amount of special teams appeal among the reserves. The former Packer failed with Tampa Bay in his last roster bid.

TE/F Darion Clark

With so many tight ends, more than one needs to go. We'll start with the basketball player. Clark didn't play football in college, just basketball for USC, Charlotte and Grand Canyon. COVID-19 is no time for experiments.

TE Eric Saubert

He signed a contract for this season and will get paid but the Bears will have seven tight ends still even after cutting Saubert. It's either cut Saubert or Jesper Horsted, and they've invested too much time and energy while seeing too much success at converting Horsted from wide receiver to a tight end.

LB/DL LaCale London

The Western Illinois product seems an ill fit for linebacker, which is what they list as his position. He played on the defensive line for the Leathernecks. At 6-foot-5, 280, he's too heavy for outside linebacker. It would seem if he added weight like Roy Robertson-Harris did he can follow that path. Either way, it's a project the Bears can't afford in t

CB Michael Joseph

He made it onto the roster at the end of last year as sort of a reward for being around two years on the practice squad but the former Oswego and Dubuque cornerback is way over matched to make it onto a 53-man roster at the end of camp or even this 80-man roster.

DL Trevon McSwain

Honestly, not being familiar with Lee Autry or McSwain, it came down as a tossup between the two undrafted rookies. But Autry was playing in the SEC and I'll put my money down on any SEC player over a Duke player. Don't tell Patrick Mannelly you saw that here.

WR Thomas Ives

Much like Michael Joseph in the secondary, this local player isn't going to make the 53-man roster and is unlikely to be signed elsewhere. Although, at 6-4 he does make a good practice player to challenge DBs.

WR Alex Wesley

They can use as much speed as possible and Wesley is supposed to be a burner but he couldn't stick with the Giants. The Bears have a large group of receivers and a few won't be missed.

OT Bradara Traore

This one hurts. You'd like to keep a player who is 6-7, 320 and played in the SEC. But Traore had very limited starting experience for the Tigers and is totally raw compared to Dino Boyd, a former college tackle at Cincinnati who signed with the Bears after he was with the Chiefs.

Why not ...

Some might wonder why not cut Ramiz Ahmed, the other kicker. With COVID-19 possible, every team should have at least three quarterbacks, two kickers and two punters. I'd add long snapper to this as well, but often there is a player or two, usually a center, who has enough long snapping experience to get by in a pinch. Plus, there are a zillion long snappers out on the scrap heap who could be brought in at a moment's notice by going to the Rolodex. They're all pretty much the same, unlike kickers. Bears fans and the north end zone goal post at Soldier Field can testify to that. Why not ...

Another head scratcher to some might be why they would keep Adam Shaheen if they have so many tight ends and plan to get rid of him anyway. He might actually be worth a seventh-round pick to someone in a trade if a team loses its tight end in camp.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven