The Chicago Bears notched their first win of the 2025 NFL preseason with Sunday's 38-0 blowout performance against the Buffalo Bills. It was the type of performance the Bears needed after tying the Miami Dolphins last week, leaving time to tell if head coach Ben Johnson & Co. can foster one more victory when they face the Kansas City Chiefs in Friday's exhibition finale.
A team effort played a big role in Chicago beating Buffalo by almost 40 points, but that doesn't mean everyone played a big role in the victory. Certain Bears failed to prove their worth to their first-year head coach, including a recent signing who failed to prove that he belongs in the Windy City.
Bears DB Mark Perry Hurt His 53-Man Roster Odds with Sunday's Performance
Shutout performances require an incredible defensive performance, even if it's only the preseason. That's why recent free-agent signing Mark Perry's performance against the Bills stuck out like a sore thumb Sunday night.
After being signed on Aug. 12, Perry made his Bears preseason debut against the Bills. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old defensive back struggled to make much of an impact, finishing with a team-worst 33.3 Pro Football Focus defense grade after missing both of his tackling attempts and allowing an 11-yard catch on his only target.
Making Perry's performance even worse is the fact that he only played 17 total snaps. It's important for players on the roster bubble to make the most of their opportunities, so the fact that he couldn't come up with any kind of stops likely spells bad news for his 53-man roster outlook.
In other words, Perry will need a stronger showing against the Chiefs this week if he wants to stay in the roster mix. Fellow Bears DBs like Alex Cook, Tre Flowers, and Nick McCloud are some of the obstacles in Perry's way as they compete for roster spots, too. Each of the trio finished significantly better PFF grades than Perry, especially McCloud and Flowers, who finished with grades of 75.3 and 70.0 in coverage, respectively.
If he can't prove himself to the Bears by the end of the week, Perry's NFL journey will likely lead him to another team. He already spent practice squad time with the Dolphins, Houston Texans, and New England Patriots last season, and was even with the Tennessee Titans this summer until he was waived on Aug. 5.
The end of the NFL preseason can be ruthless towards underperformers, and Perry might have to learn that lesson the hard way if he doesn't improve immediately.