DL Ferguson, TE Housler cut as Bears get down to 53

The Bears' roster stands at 53 after a couple mild surprises at tight end and on special teams among Saturday's final cuts.

It came as no surprise that injured outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (knee) was placed on the regular-season physically unable to perform list, which means he will miss at least the first six games. McPhee, the Bears' best defender in the first half of last season, has not practiced since January when he underwent surgery on his left knee.

Among the biggest names cut from the roster was defensive lineman Ego Ferguson, the second-round draft pick in 2014, who was waived injured. Also let go were veteran tight ends Tony Moeaki and Rob Housler, special teams standouts Marc Mariani and Jacquizz Rodgers and seventh-round wide receiver Daniel Braverman.

The Bears' other final cuts included quarterback David Fales, linebacker John Timu, cornerbacks Taveze Calhoun and De'Vante Bausby, offensive tackle Jason Weaver, tight end Ben Braunecker and long-snapper Patrick Scales.

Wide receiver Marquess Wilson (foot) was also moved to the regular-season PUP list.

Wide receiver Mariani was the Bears' leading punt returner last year, although his numbers were modest: 192 yards on 29 attempts for a 6.6-yard average. The seven-year veteran, primarily a special-teams player in the past, had a career year with 22 catches for 300 yards and a 13.6-yard average per reception last year when he seemed to develop solid chemistry with quarterback Jay Cutler.

"Very thankful for my coaches and teammates @ChicagoBears," the classy and well-liked Mariani tweeted. "Those bonds will last forever. Disappointed today, but excited for what's next!"

Mariani's departure would seem to assure roster spots for Josh Bellamy and Cam Meredith, although teams can still add waived players from other teams after their final cut-down.

Six-year veteran running back Rodgers, a special teams standout in the past, played in just five games last year because of a broken arm, and he averaged just 1.6 yards per carry on 17 preseason rushing attempts.

Another surprise was the release of both Housler and Moeaki, who have had productive pass-catching season in the NFL, but not in recent years. Their departure leaves the Bears with just two backups to injury-prone starter Zach Miller. Both are primarily blockers, second-year man Khari Lee and four-year veteran Greg Scruggs, who converted to the position this year from defensive end.

Because the Bears kept a fullback this year, former rugby player Paul Lasike, they had one less spot at tight end.

Undrafted rookie tight end Ben Braunecker was also waived but is a candidate for the practice squad. Braunecker missed most of training camp and the preseason with an ankle injury.

Moeaki had 5 preseason catches for 34 yards, and Cutler praised his professionalism and his reliability. The Wheaton-Warrenville South product had 80 catches for 1,009 yards in his first two NFL seasons after being drafted in the third round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010. But his production dwindled to 11 catches in the past three years.

Moeaki has an injury history, and he suffered a concussion in the preseason, so the Bears may have been reluctant to guarantee his salary for a full season. But that doesn't preclude them from re-signing him after the first week of the regular season, when he would be paid week-to-week.

Housler was drafted in the third round in 2011 by the Arizona Cardinals, and he caught 84 passes for 871 passes from 2012-13 but has just 13 catches in the past two years. He had 2 preseason catches for 69 yards, including a 52-yard reception in Week Two.

Braverman flashed repeatedly during training camp, overcoming his lack of size with quickness, smarts and the ability to separate in tight quarters. But he wasn't able to carry that success into the preseason, where he had 6 catches for just 40 yards. He also failed to make an impact on special teams, where his 3 punt returns netted minus-3 yards, and he allowed a Browns punt to get over his head and roll for an additional 25 yards in lost field position.

The 5-foot-10, 177-pound Braverman is another likely candidate for the Bears' practice squad, provided he goes through the waiver process unclaimed by another team.

With the cut of long-snapper Patrick Scales. the long-snapping job remains with Aaron Brewer, who handled that job the previous four years in Denver, three under John Fox when he was the Broncos' head coach.

After the Bears' preseason finale, Fox summed up the feelings of most NFL coaches as they whittle their rosters.

"Tomorrow and the next few days are the most meaningful days we have because you get close to people," the Bears' coach said. "They've been out here working since March; some of them longer than that. You have a lot of respect for what they do and how they handle themselves. It's never easy letting people go."

Saturday's reductions were in addition to seven that were reported on Friday, including nose tackle Terry Williams, offensive linemen Khaled Holmes, Shelley Smith and Garry Williams, linebacker Danny Mason, cornerback Kevin Peterson and wide receiver B.J. Daniels.

Teams can begin forming their 10-man practice squads at noon Sunday.

In other news:

According to NFL.com's Ian Rapaport, the Bears have agreed to terms with Pro Bowl right guard Kyle Long on a four-year, $40 million contract extension that includes $30 million in guaranteed money.

The guaranteed money is an NFL record for a guard. Long has missed nearly two weeks of practice with a shoulder injury but is expected to practice in the coming week leading up to the regular-season opener on Sept. 11.

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