Here’s who did — and didn’t — make the Bears’ 53-man roster

The Bears had a quick turnaround after playing the final game of the NFL preseason schedule Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans.

All teams had to be down to 53 players on their active rosters by 5 p.m. Sunday — 24 hours after the Bears and Titans kicked off in Nashville, Tenn.

Roster activity began Sunday morning when the Bears agreed to trade fourth-year defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. to the Atlanta Falcons for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round draft pick.

Jack Sanborn and Kiran Amegadjie cut as Bears set their 53-man roster

The Bears announced they released running back Salvon Ahmed, wide receiver Scotty Miller, tight end Stephen Carlson, offensive linemen Jedrick Wills Jr. and Wesley French, defensive linemen Marcus Davenport and James Lynch and linebackers Jon Rhattigan and Jack Sanborn. Wills was released with an injury settlement.

The Bears waived quarterback Miller Moss, wide receivers Maurice Alexander, Kaden Davis, Omari Kelly and JP Richardson, tight end Qadir Ismail, offensive linemen Kiran Amegadjie, Caden Barnett, Kyle Hergel, Jaren Kump and Mason Murphy, defensive lineman Jeremiah Martin, linebackers Antonio Grier, Ruben Hyppolite II and Wayne Matthews III and defensive backs Beanie Bishop, Anthony Johnson Jr., Dontae Manning, Deantre Prince, Marlen Sewell, Terell Smith and William Wright. Hyppolite, Bishop and Manning were waived with an injury designation.

Running back Brittain Brown, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III, linebacker Tony Fields and cornerback Jaylon Jones were placed on injured reserve, and defensive lineman Shemar Turner, linebacker Noah Sewell and cornerback Kyler Gordon were placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.

Veterans Jedrick Wills Jr., Scotty Miller and Jon Rhattigan among Bears cuts

Wills was competing for the left tackle job. Miller, a wide receiver and Barrington native, and Rhattigan, a linebacker from Naperville, were signed in May after tryouts during rookie minicamp.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported that Wills and Miller will be cut. If the Bears also waive offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie, that would leave them with only Theo Benedet behind starting tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright while Ozzy Trapilo continues to mend.

Rhattigan, who played at Neuqua Valley, has been a proven special teams performer for the Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders.

The Bears also are expected to waive cornerback William Wright and safety Marlen Sewell. Sewell is a possibility to return on the practice squad.

WR JP Richardson and OL Cade Barnett will be waived

Both Richardson and Barnett are strong candidates to be re-signed to the practice squad Monday.

Richardson spent all of last season on the Bears practice squad and was elevated to the game-day roster for one game. Barnett, an undrafted rookie from Wyoming, received $277,500 guaranteed when he initially signed.

The Bears also are releasing veteran safety Anthony Johnson Jr.

Bears are releasing cornerback Terell Smith

Smith, a fifth-round pick out of Minnesota in 2023, played 26 games with six starts over his first two seasons. He sat out all of 2025 with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee suffered during a preseason game.

Smith, who had two pass breakups in Saturday night’s preseason finale at Tennessee, may have become expendable after Sunday morning’s acquisition of cornerback Clark Phillips III in the Gervon Dexter trade.

Bears trade Gervon Dexter Sr. to Falcons

The trade of the fourth-year defensive tackle for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round draft pick likely firms up a spot on the initial 53-man roster for veteran defensive lineman James Lynch.

Lynch was maybe a 50-50 proposition in July to make the roster, but he had a strong camp and preseason and has the ability to flex out to end.