Cutdown day: Here are all the players the Bears released this week
The Bears had to part ways with more than 30 players this week as they trimmed their roster from 90 players to 53 players ahead of Week 1.
General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, no doubt, had some tough calls to make ahead of season-opener against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 10 at Soldier Field.
"I want to thank those guys for going through this process," Eberflus said. "You meet with these guys through the course of the day and guys think they're going to be on the active roster and then you're telling them they're not, they're going to be on the practice squad. It's a disappointing time for them, and I understand that."
The Cuts
The Bears had already waived the following players:
LB Micah Baskerville
DT Travis Bell
FB Robert Burns
TE Stephen Carlson
CB Macon Clark
OT Kellen Diesch
OG Dieter Eiselen
LB DeMarquis Gates
DE Trevis Gipson
DE Jalen Harris
OL Robert Haskins
DE D'Anthony Jones
OL Josh Lugg
OL Roy Mbaeteka
DB Michael Ojemudia
TE Lachlan Pitts
DT Bravvion Roy
OL Logan Stenberg
LB Davion Taylor
S Bralen Trahan
CB Kindle Vildor
LB Barrington Wade
LB Mykal Walker
S Kendall Williamson
The following veterans were released:
DT Andrew Brown
OT Aviante Collins
WR Daurice Fountain
QB Nathan Peterman
CB Greg Stroman
WR Nsimba Webster
Additionally, the Bears waived RB Trestan Ebner with an injury designation. Receiver Isaiah Ford is going on injured reserve, meaning his season is over.
Analysis
The Bears previously released reserve quarterback PJ Walker and lineman Alex Leatherwood.
Releasing Walker, a veteran backup, earlier this week came as a bit of a surprise. The Bears had signed Walker to a two-year, $4 million contract worth a guaranteed $2 million. The Bears will still be on the hook for that $2 million paycheck.
But Walker simply didn't play well in the preseason. Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent outplayed him and it showed.
The decision to also release QB Nathan Peterman is a bit of a surprise, but the Bears likely want Peterman on the practice squad.
Lineman Alex Leatherwood, a former first-round pick, never emerged as a usable lineman for Luke Getsy's offense. The Bears claimed him off waivers a year ago when the Raiders cut him, but he wound up playing in only four games with the Bears.
The Bears reportedly gave defensive end Trevis Gipson permission to seek a trade, but it didn't appear that a trade partner emerged. Gipson slid down the depth chart during training camp, despite recording 2 sacks. He did not appear to fit Eberflus' 4-3 defensive scheme well. He had just 3 sacks last season.