Heading into their second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, the Chicago Bears have plenty of players that will be auditioning for a job. The game under the lights is another opportunity for Ben Johnson to assess his roster ahead of the Sept. 8 opener against the Minnesota Vikings but it could make or break players’ hopes to begin the upcoming season with the team.
While those that take the field on Sunday night have a chance to win a job, there are other players sitting on the couch waiting for the phone to ring. With the preseason entering its final week after Sunday’s contest, one former Bears player is still waiting for his opportunity and could be without a team when the regular season begins.
Former Bears TE Gerald Everett is Still Waiting for a Job
The Bears signed tight end Gerald Everett before last season to add depth at the tight end position, but he proved to be a free agent bust after agreeing to a two-year, $12 million contract. Everett’s lone year in Chicago saw him play in all 17 games, but his production was extremely limited with eight catches for 36 scoreless yards.
The presence of Cole Kmet and a disastrous run with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron didn’t help matters. But Everett didn’t make his case with the lowest overall grade of his career (42.9) according to Pro Football Focus. The lackluster performance convinced the Bears to release Everett and save $5.5 million against the cap in 2025 but Everett hasn’t landed on his feet as the regular season draws near.
Everett does have a track record of production, catching 292 passes for 2,869 yards and 19 touchdowns during his career. But it’s hard to see where he could land at this stage of camp. A reunion with the Los Angeles Rams isn’t out of the question as they look for a more versatile compliment to Tyler Higbee but the Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints could be looking for a new tight end to add depth to the position. There isn’t even a major injury at the position to keep an eye on but things could change with just a single play in the final week of the preseason.
Even so, Everett needs some chips to fall in his favor to find work and is running out of time to start the season with a new team.