We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Marcus Baugh
- Waived: TE Dax Raymond
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: C Spencer Pulley, C Patrick Morris
- Waived: OT Elijah Nkansah
Here are Monday’s minor moves, coming out of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: WR Khalil Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: TE Dax Raymond
- Waived: TE Christian Scotland-Williamson
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Chicago Bears
- Released: TE Dax Raymond
Denver Broncos
- Released: S Tyvis Powell, TE Bug Howard, DL Deyon Sizer, DL Jay-Tee Tiuli
Detroit Lions
- Released: RB Tra Carson, LS James Fisher, G Casey Tucker, P Matt Wile
Green Bay Packers
- Released: QB Manny Wilkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Released: TE Billy Brown, WR Steve Ishmael
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: QB Kyle Shurmur
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: RB Mark Thompson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: C Coleman Shelton (Exclusive Rights Free Agent)
- Released: LB Jeff Holland
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: S Jacob Thieneman
The Bears reached the NFL’s mandatory 53-man limit by dropping 34 players and placing two players on IR.
Here’s the full breakdown:
Waived:
RB Josh Caldwell
RB Ryan Nall
WR Tanner Gentry
WR Taquan Mizzell Sr.
WR Marvin Hall
WR Thomas Ives
WR Joe Walker
WR Jordan Williams-Lambert
TE Ellis Richardson
TE Jesper Horsted
TE Ian Bunting
OL Jordan McCray
OL Alex Bars
OL Sam Mustipher
OL Marquez Tucker
OL Joe Lowery
OL Tommy Doles
DE Jonathan Bullard
DL Jonathan Harris
DL Jalen Dalton
DL Daryle Banfield
LB Jameer Thurman
OLB Chuck Harris
OLB Matt Betts
CB Michael Joseph
CB John Franklin III
CB Clifton Duck
S Jonathon Mincy Sr.
S Doyin Jibowu
LS John Wirtel
OLB Kylie Fitts
OLB James Vaughters
CB Stephen Denmark
Released:
QB Tyler Bray
Placed on IR:
TE Dax Raymond
G Blake Blackmar
The Bears have quite a big UDFA class. Chicago announced that they have signed the following 22 undrafted free agents:
- Alex Bars, OL (Notre Dame) ($35K of his base salary guaranteed, $5K signing bonus, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter)
- Sam Mustipher, OL (Notre Dame)
- Daryle Banfield, DL (Brown)
- John Baron II, K (San Diego State)
- Matt Betts, LB (Laval)
- Blake Blackmar, OL (Baylor)
- Ian Bunting, TE (California)
- Jomon Dotson, DB (Nevada)
- Clifton Duck, DB (Appalachian State)
- Emanuel Hall, WR (Missouri)
- Jonathan Harris, DL (Lindenwood)
- Chuck Harris, LB (Buffalo)
- Thomas Ives, WR (Colgate)
- Doyin Jibowu, DB (Fort Hays State)
- Joe Lowery, OL (Ohio)
- Lawrence Marshall, DE (Michigan)
- Adarius Pickett, DB (UCLA)
- Dax Raymond, TE (Utah State) ($30K of his base salary guaranteed with a $15K signing bonus, per Wilson on Twitter)
- Ellis Richardson, TE (Georgia Southern)
- Josh Simmons, DB (Limestone)
- Marquez Tucker, OL (Southern Utah)
- John Wirtel, LS (Kansas)
The Bears opted for a lot of small school players, adding guys from places like Limestone, Colgate, Fort Hays State, Lindenwood, and Laval. The signings of Bars and Mustipher are notable because they have a connection to the coaching staff. Both players were coached by current Bears offensive line coach Harry Hiestand when they were at Notre Dame. The Bears hired Hiestand away from Notre Dame before last season, and he knows what he’s getting in these two players.
It’s also notable that the Bears signed a kicker, because the job will be up for grabs in training camp. Chicago is looking to replace Cody Parkey after his disastrous 2018 season, and they need someone consistent. Baron was a solid college kicker at SDSU with a big leg, as his career long was 54 yards, which is pretty impressive for a college kicker. The Bears already have former AAF kicker Elliott Fry and former Tulsa kicker Redford Jones on the roster, so they’re clearly planning on having a battle royale kicking competition this offseason.