Bears make quick use of vacant practice squad spot to finally reunite Ben Johnson with a former Pro Bowl player from Detroit
The Bears signed Jalen Reeves-Maybin to the practice squad.
The Chicago Bears lost a key contingency option this week when the Washington Commanders signed kicker Jake Moody off the Bears practice squad and onto their own active 53-man roster.
Moody proved to be a massive addition for Chicago when starting kicker Cairo Santos went down to do a thigh injury coming out of the bye week, forcing the team to elevate Moody for two games. One of which ended with a game-winning field goal by Moody against the Commanders.
It was a tough blow, but one the Bears frankly should have seen coming after giving Moody a platform to showcase his skills and then leaving him for the taking on the practice squad. With the vacant spot however, the Bears quickly found another potential contributor to use on special teams.
Bears sign former Pro Bowl special teams ace Jalen Reeves-Maybin to the practice squad
On Tuesday, after the official move was made with Moody going to Washington, the Bears made the announcement that they were using the open spot on the practice squad to sign former Detroit Lions special teams standout Jalen Reeves-Maybin.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson is obviously familiar with the player from his own time in Detroit and his experience on special teams could be called upon at some point down the stretch.
In 2023, Reeves-Maybin was a second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection for his special teams contributions in Detroit, playing 371 snaps on special teams that season. The following season, Reeves-Maybin suffered neck/shoulder injury, prompting the Lions to go a different direction.
Reeves-Maybin is also the president of the NFLPA and remained unsigned after leaving Detroit following the 2024 season. Now, he finally gets to join a new team with some familiar faces already in the building.
Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower’s unit has had a rollercoaster season to say the least throughout the first 11 weeks of the season and Reeves-Maybin could be a guy that eventually gets called up to help out if he still has anywhere close to that 2023-caliber play left in the tank.
The Bears also have some other special teams aces in the building already that are technically linebackers on the roster in Amen Ogbongbemiga, D’Marco Jackson, and rookie Ruben Hyppolite II, not to mention having Carl Jones on the practice squad as well. It’s a competitive room but you’ll take all the bodies you can get this time of year.
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