Bears' McPhee ready to return, Houston likely on his way out
It was a good news-bad news kind of day for high-priced veteran outside linebackers as the Bears reduced their roster to 53 Saturday.
Pernell McPhee (knee), who has yet to practice, passed his physical and was activated from the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list. He is expected to be on the field Monday at Halas Hall.
But Lamarr Houston (knee) was placed on injured reserve and will likely be released with an injury settlement in the future.
McPhee began last season on PUP and missed the first six weeks last season, also with knee issues. After he came off PUP, McPhee played in nine games and had 4 sacks. He had 6 sacks in 2015, his first year with the Bears, after signing a five-year, $38.75 million contract.
The 28-year-old McPhee will never be the player the Bears thought they were getting, but the hope is that he can contribute as a situational pass rusher.
Houston signed a five-year, $35 million contract with the Bears prior to the 2014 season. But in three seasons, the 30-year-old has missed 22 of 48 games and has just 10 starts while suffering torn ACLs in both knees. He suffered a less severe knee injury in Thursday night's final preseason game.
Houston led the Bears with 8 sacks in 2015, his only healthy year with the team. Last year he played in just two games. His $6.95 million cap hit is financially undesirable for an injury-prone player, albeit one who has produced when healthy.
The Bears also terminated the contract of two other veteran defenders: linemen John Jenkins and Jaye Howard, who was hoping to bounce back from last year's hip injury. Howard played just eight games for the Chiefs last year because of the injury.
Coaches were clearly more impressed with first-year defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris. The 6-foot-7 Robertson-Harris was undrafted last year out of Texas-El Paso and missed the entire season with a heat-related illness. In the off-season, he bulked up from 265 to 294 and transitioned from linebacker to the line.
Undrafted rookie wide receiver Tanner Gentry is among the Bears cuts who are expected to be signed to the team's 10-man practice squad beginning at noon Sunday. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound Gentry was a record-setting pass catcher at Wyoming, and he had 4 preseason receptions for 77 yards, including a 45-yard TD catch.
No. 4 quarterback Connor Shaw was waived injured after suffering a hamstring injury in the final preseason game. He, too, is eligible for the practice squad.
Because running back Ka'Deem Carey was placed on injured reserve prior to the 53-man cutdown, he cannot be the Bears' one allotted player to return later in the season from I.R. He may be released later with an injury settlement.
Bears cuts
Waived:
PK Roberto Aguayo
LB Jonathan Anderson
WR Daniel Braverman
DT Rashaad Coward
WR Titus Davis
WT Tanner Gentry
OL Brandon Greene
S DeAndre Houston-Carson
WR Alton Howard
LB Isaiah Irving
S Harold Jones-Quartey
OL Dieugot Joseph
OL Mitchell Kirsch
OL Will Poehls
TE MyCole Pruitt
CB Rashaad Reynolds
OL Cyril Richardson
RB Josh Rounds
FB Freddie Stevenson
LB John Timu
Contract terminated:
CB Johnthan Banks
OL Taylor Boggs
WR Victor Cruz
DL Jaye Howard
DL John Jenkins
LB Kelvin Sheppard
LB Dan Skuta
CB B.W. Webb
DL C.J. Wilson
Waived injured:
QB Connor Shaw (hamstring)
Injured reserve:
RB Ka'Deem Carey (wrist)
LB Lamarr Houston (knee)
WR Cam Meredith (knee)
OL Jordan Morgan (shoulder)
S Chris Prosinski (hamstring)
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