With OTAs and mandatory minicamp taking place this month, most NFL teams are using this time to evaluate multiple guys on their respective 90-man rosters.
During this time of the NFL calendar, the 90-man roster is very fluid as teams hold workouts for various veterans or young players to see if they could be a fit right away or a potential signing down the road at a position of need.
One former Chicago Bears cornerback is taking his talents to the workout circuit as he tries to latch on to an NFL roster before training camp begins next month.
Earlier this week, Aaron Wilson of KPRC-2 reported that former Bears defensive back Duke Shelley worked out with the Houston Texans. The Texans are in search of a CB3 on the outside after Ronald Darby surprisingly announced his retirement last week.
Sources: #Texans worked out forrmer #Vikings #Bears corner Duke Shelley and @XFLRoughnecks corner Keenan Isaac previously #Buccaneers #Raiders #Panthers @KPRC2 https://t.co/I8zRg9acE5
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 11, 2025
Former Bears Draft Pick Trying to Make an NFL Roster Ahead of Next Season
The former Bears defender played one game with the New York Giants last season after the Minnesota Vikings waived Shelley ahead of the 53-man roster deadline last August.
Shelley began his career with the Bears, who took him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Kansas State. The 5-foot-9 cornerback appeared in nine games as a rookie in 2019. He predominantly played special teams.
However, Shelley would see more playing time on defense in his second year. The former Kansas State cornerback had 16 combined tackles and a pass deflection in 11 games (two starts).
Finally, in his last year with the Bears, Shelley racked up 37 combined tackles and three pass deflections across 10 games (four starts). Following the 2021 season, Shelley spent the next year with the Vikings, then with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023.
Shelley wasn’t a full or part-time starter on those teams, which could help him in his pursuit of joining a new team in the coming weeks. We’ll see if the Texans eventually sign the former Bear, or if he gets another opportunity.