Bears add some much-needed defensive reinforcements to the roster and back on the field looking ahead to cutdown day
The Chicago Bears have added two defensive players back on the active roster off the PUP list ahead of Tuesday’s practice and got CB Tyrique Stevenson back on the field.
The Chicago Bears defense is getting healthier at the right time. With the final week of preseason underway and the 53-man roster cutdown deadline approaching Sunday, Chicago activated safety Elijah Hicks and rookie linebacker Keyshaun Elliott from the PUP list on Tuesday. Both players were spotted working with trainers during practice in the ramp-up process, though neither fully participated.
Hicks had been dealing with shin discomfort, while Elliott was sidelined with a back injury. While neither practiced Tuesday, the activation is significant for roster purposes. Both players are off the PUP list and expected to land on the 53-man roster when the Bears finalize their cuts this weekend. The same can’t be said yet for cornerback Kyler Gordon, linebacker Noah Sewell, and defensive lineman Shemar Turner.
In corresponding moves, the Bears placed linebacker Nephi Sewell on injured reserve after he sustained an injury during Saturday’s preseason game. Chicago also signed linebacker Antonio Greer to the roster to fill Sewell’s spot in the linebacker room.
Tyrique Stevenson’s quick return is a positive sign for Week 1
The other notable development on the defensive side Tuesday was the return of cornerback Tyrique Stevenson to practice. Stevenson did not play in Saturday’s game and it was revealed he suffered an injury during Thursday’s joint practice against the Cincinnati Bengals. Bears head coach Ben Johnson initially said the timeline would be week-to-week, but Stevenson was back on the practice field Tuesday.
That quick turnaround is significant as the Bears try to solidify the outside cornerback spot opposite Jaylon Johnson heading into Week 1.
Safety competition still wide open alongside Dillon Thieneman
Head coach Ben Johnson confirmed Tuesday that the starting safety spot opposite rookie Dillon Thieneman remains up for grabs. Xavier Woods and Cam Lewis have been the primary players rotating at the position throughout training camp. Both dealt with brief injury stints during the preseason process, but both are healthy now.
With Hicks now activated from the PUP list, that competition could expand to a three-man race once he’s fully ramped up, but also watch out for Skyler Thomas and Anthony Johnson Jr. battling for a final spot. It adds another layer to a position battle worth monitoring closely as the Bears work through their final evaluations this week.
No Austin Booker, but Marcus Davenport makes his on-field debut
Edge rusher Austin Booker was notably absent from Tuesday’s practice. Booker also did not play in Saturday’s game against the Bengals, even though the majority of starters saw action. Johnson did not provide an update and was not asked about Booker’s status. It remains unclear whether Booker is dealing with an injury or what his status is.
On the positive side, veteran edge rusher Marcus Davenport was spotted on the practice field for the first time Tuesday, but he was in sweats and did not practice. The former first-round pick spent years playing under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen with the New Orleans Saints before reuniting with Allen in Chicago. Davenport will continue to ramp up and work back into playing shape, eventually giving the Bears another body in a pass-rush rotation that could use the depth, especially with Booker’s availability uncertain.
The defensive side of the ball still has plenty of questions to answer before Sunday’s cutdown, but getting Hicks, Elliott, Stevenson, and eventually Davenport back on the field in some capacity is a step in the right direction for how this roster will come together.
