Bears making moves to reach roster limit

The preseason games are over, and now the Bears have to make tough choices as training camp comes to an end.

General manager Ryan Poles, head coach Ben Johnson and their staffs will have to decide which players to keep on their 53-man roster. They’ll need to trim down from 90 players before the NFL’s deadline at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Bears place Frazier on NFI, waive 8, release 3

The Bears placed rookie cornerback Zah Frazier on the reserve/non-football injury list. Frazier missed all of training camp with a personal matter after the Bears drafted him in the fifth round in April out of UTSA. Frazier was seen at Halas Hall before Wednesday’s practice being driven around the facility in a golf cart.

The Bears also waived quarterback Austin Reed, running back Ian Wheeler, safeties Millard Bradford and Alex Cook, cornerback Kaleb Hayes, defensive end Xavier Carlton and linebacker Power Echols.

Reed spent last season as part of the Bears’ practice squad. That could still be an option this season depending on the severity of backup quarterback Case Keenum’s injury that’s kept him off the field the past couple weeks. Wheeler tried to fight for a roster spot this past month after tearing his ACL at last year’s training camp.

Offensive lineman Joshua Miles, cornerback Tre Flowers and running back Royce Freeman were released.

Tight end Joel Wilson waived

The Bears reportedly made their first cut of the day Monday morning by waiving tight end Joel Wilson. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson was the first to report the transaction.

Wilson signed with the Bears’ practice squad in October and signed a reserve/future contract with the team in January. He caught 11 passes for 85 yards during the preseason, including a touchdown in Friday’s last-second win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

The offense now has four tight ends on the roster: Cole Kmet, rookie Colston Loveland, Durham Smythe and Stephen Carlson. The team is likely to keep three on the active roster.

Bears waive six players, place Terell Smith on reserve/injured list

The team started its roster cutdown Sunday by waiving six players.

The Bears waived linebacker Swayze Bozeman, offensive lineman Chris Glaser, tight end Thomas Gordon, safety Mark Perry, wide receiver Samori Toure and cornerback Jeremiah Walker.

They also placed cornerback Terell Smith on the reserve/injured list after he suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Buffalo Bills.