Bear Digest

Where Ryan Poles has concerns and where he likes the Bears roster

The Bears completed their roster cuts to the 53-man limit and there is a need for backs and DBs to get healthy, but the Bears GM came away convinced the team has improved.
Gene Chamberlain|
Jahdae Walker emerged as the success story of Bears camp with one of six wide receiver roster spots.
Jahdae Walker emerged as the success story of Bears camp with one of six wide receiver roster spots. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Ryan Poles seemed confident the 53-man roster he put together could move the Bears successfully into the regular season.

He might need to get a running back somewhere along the line, though, as they had one practicing Tuesday. Also, maybe the Bears should reconsider the decision to cut defensive end Tonah Kpassagnon after defensive end Dominique Robinson left practice early Tuesday with a possible injury.

Both edge rusher and running back remain areas of concern after the final roster cuts, which really included no real shockers but a few mild surprises based on preseason efforts.

The roster cuts did force Poles to swallow a bit of pride with the release of his draft picks. Wide receiver Tyler Scott, a fourth-rounder in 2023, and defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, a third-rounder that year, were the major ones. They had cut 2022 Poles third-rounder Velus Jones Jr. last year.

Scott, in particular, was a tough cut but they loved the work of undrafted Jahdae Walker and needed him on the roster. They also needed a position for tackle Theo Benedet.

"I mean the discussion was developmental and then they kind of put themselves a little bit ahead of that curve," Poles said of Benedet and Walker. "So that receiver group, which made letting Tyler Scott go today difficult, but we have to stay true to competition and true to talent, not where guys were drafted.

"So I'm proud of that. I'm proud of our group with the development of (Walker). He earned it."

Noah Sewell has made huge strides to come in and compete for that starting SAM position. He got himself in shape, got right, choppy start his career, which shows you, like some of these guys, it's going to take a few years. This program, it's no joke and you gotta get yourself right to compete. Hyppolite's been flying around, and has pressed to be one of the top guys in that room too. So that's another one that was ahead of whatever I thought it was going to be." 

 One of their backs won't return until after four weeks. That's Travis Homer, who is on injured reserve designated to return. They also put veteran linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga on the same list and as a result linebacker Carl Jones Jr. made it onto the roster for the start of the season.

The Bears waived defensive back Tysheem Johnson, center Doug Kramer and guard Bill Murray injured. They also waived running back Brittain Brown, who was the only other healthy back at Monday's practice besides starter D'Andre Swift.

Poles expects Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai back from injury soon.

"I have faith those guys will be ready to go," he said. "If not, we will look out and see if there's guys that can help us."

Others waived were receiver Maurice Alexander, long snapper Luke Elkin, defensive tackle Jonathan Ford, defensive back Mekhi Garner, defensive end Jamree Kromah, offensive lineman Jordan McFadden, wide receiver JP Richardson, center Ricky Stromberg. They gave releases to receiver Miles Boykin and tight end Stephen Carlson besides Kpassagnon .

Poles saw great progress in a few players throughout offseason and preseason, besides the obvious ones like Walker or edge rusher Austin Booker.


"Noah Sewell has made huge strides to come in and compete for that starting SAM (linebacker) position," Poles said. "He got himself in shape, got right, choppy start his career, which shows you, like some of these guys, it's going to take a few years. This program, it's no joke and you gotta get yourself right to compete.

(Ruben) Hyppolite's been flying around, and has pressed to be one of the top guys in that room too. So that's another one that was ahead of whatever I thought it was going to be." 

Kpassagnon signed with the Bears largely because defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was his head coach in New Orleans but it hasn't worked out the way either would have hoped.

Kpassagnon was playing as one of the third team defensive ends throughout training camp and preseason. He has been in the NFL since 2017, first with the Chiefs and then the Saints, but has just 16 1/2 career sacks

He lost out to linebacker/defensive end Daniel Hardy, who came through with the big defensive play in Friday's win over the Chiefs on a strip-sack. Hardy had been lining up as the other third-team defensive end.

"Daniel Hardy I thought was tremendous getting the sack fumble was huge for us," coach Ben Johnson said. "It changed the game."

Hardy is a different type of player than most Dennis Allen defensive ends, who are in the range of 260-285 pounds. Hardy is 6-2, 255 but definitely big enough to be an edge rusher in the league and a heavier player than second-team edge Austin Booker.

However, Hardy's special teams play was lauded recently by Poles and he has been trained this year to also play strongside linebacker.

One area Poles felt good about going into the start of camp was the secondary, but injuries have changed this. It could change soon because Jaylon Johnson was put on the active roster and the idea is to have him back from what Poles said was a soft tissue injury for the opener.

"I think, really, because of guys getting dinged up, the secondary really hasn't been healthy together since the spring," Poles said. "You know, Kyler was out for a little bit, Jaylon was out for a little bit.  So it's kind of been a little bit of mix and match there.

"So it's going to be really nice when we get all those guys healthy and competing at the same level. So it's always felt a little uncomfortable in terms of the corner position. But, again, there's been development there. Nahshon Wright, coming in from Minnesota, has done a good job, and he's gotten significantly better. (Nick) McLoud has been a great surprise coming in and competing–inside, outside, special teams guy. So that's probably one position, but it just hasn't had a feel, because all of them haven’t been there at the same time."

Poles seems satisfied with the offensive line for now, although no one is willing yet to call left tackle in favor of Braxton Jones.

At first they thought second-rounder Ozzy Trapilo might take the job but the rookie moved over to back up Darnell Wright at right tackle.

"I think he just hit a rookie wall in the middle of camp there where things just kind of got all over the place, and he needed to settle in," Poles said.

The Bears will form their practice squad after waivers clear in 24 hours with many of the players cut on Tuesday. It's going to need to include a running back or two, or else DJ Moore will need to get used to carrying the ball out of the backfield like they had him doing to spell Swift on Tuesday.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.