The Chicago Bears are set to welcome a pair of linebackers back to the fold for their Week 14 matchup against the Green Bay Packers after TJ Edwards and Noah Sewell were full participants in Friday's practice session.
Edwards and Sewell won't be the only addition to the linebacker corps leading up to their showdown at Lambeau Field, though. Saturday afternoon, the Bears' official public relations account shared that the team had made a pair of roster moves.
First, Chicago announced it had released reserve linebacker Carl Jones Jr. to clear a spot for the Bears to sign offensive guard Jordan McFadden to their 53-man roster. With Jones Jr. no longer part of the puzzle, Chicago needed to replace him, and they found that man on their practice squad. Former All-Pro Jalen Reeves-Maybin has been elevated to the team's active roster for Sunday's crucial contest against the Packers.
Bears Elevate Jalen Reeves-Maybin to Replace Carl Jones Jr. in LB Room
Reeves-Maybin is quite familiar with Green Bay's roster and style of play after spending seven total seasons with the Detroit Lions over two separate stints with the team. Not only will he provide Chicago with added depth on the defensive side of the ball, he is known for his abilities to contribute on special teams. The former Tennessee Volunteers standout was the NFC's lone Pro Bowl selection as a special teams player for the 2023 Pro Bowl. He also earned second-team All-Pro honors that season.
This will be the second practice squad elevation for Reeves-Maybin since he signed with the team's practice squad on Nov. 18, meaning he has one remaining elevation from the practice squad available before the front office would either have to sign him to the 53-man roster or release him.
This decision will likely be tied to Tremaine Edmunds' recovery from the groin injury that landed him on the IR on Nov. 22. The earliest Edmunds could return from the IR would be Week 16, and that is assuming he has recovered enough by then to do all the things a linebacker would need to do against the run or in pass coverage.
With that all being said, that is a problem for Ben Johnson and company to figure out during Week 15. All that matters this weekend is that Reeves-Maybin can show flashes of the player he was during the 2023 campaign when he impacted the game in a variety of ways for the Lions. A strong showing this weekend from the former All-Pro could go a long way towards cementing a spot for himself in this defense ahead of the Bears' postseason run.