Bears Letting Rookie Defender Go to Trim Roster Numbers
By Cem Yolbulan
Bears fans can't wait for the start of the regular season. Behind the hype created by rookie sensation Caleb Williams, the Chicago Bears are entering the 2024 NFL season with heightened expectations and hopes of a postseason berth.
Before the Bears can fully focus on the Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, however, they need to finalize their 53-man roster. This means that some tough decisions await GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus.
On Monday, the Bears made their first batch of cuts, bringing down the roster size to 78. Rookie linebacker Paul Moala, who had made the training camp roster after an impressive minicamp, and Ja'Tyre Carter, the offensive lineman who started two games in Teven Jenkins' absence last season, were among eight players who were waived.
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The Bears have to cut 25 more players before 4 pm on Tuesday. There are fascinating decisions to be made on players like Velus Jones Jr, Greg Stroman, and Khari Blasingame.
The offensive line has a ton of question marks heading into the season. Parting ways with Ja'Tyre Carter perhaps makes the remaining decisions in that room a little easier but it remains a point of concern for the Bears.
Players who don't make the final cut can still be a part of the Bears practice squad if another team doesn't claim them on the waiver wire. Chicago will have a chance to upgrade the roster after the roster cuts are made as there will be competent players becoming available in the next 24 hours. The offensive line remains one of the positions of need that the Bears could choose to address.