Bears Audition Six Free Agents
- Cornerbacks Darryl Morris, Shaun Prater, Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Melvin White auditioned for the Bears, tweets Caplan. Chicago is on the hunt for defensive back help after getting torched by the Packers on Thursday Night Football.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/16
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Arturo Uzdavinis (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Leon McFadden (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Dez Stewart (Twitter link via Wilson)
New England Patriots
- Cut: S Vinnie Sunseri (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN)
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Brandin Bryant
Bears Place Brian Hoyer On IR
The Bears have placed quarterback Brian Hoyer on injured reserve, promoted offensive lineman Cornelius Edison from their practice squad and claimed tight end Daniel Brown off waivers from the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links).
Hoyer left the Bears’ 26-10 loss to Green Bay on Thursday with a broken left arm and underwent surgery Sunday. The journeyman originally entered the Bears’ lineup when Jay Cutler went down with a sprained thumb in Week 2. Hoyer impressed in Cutler’s absence, completing more than 68 percent of his passes for 1,396 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. His placement on IR means he won’t be eligible to come back until Week 16.
Fortunately for the Hoyer-less Bears, Cutler will be ready for their Week 8 tilt against the NFC North rival Vikings, head coach John Fox said Monday.
Brown appeared in two of the Ravens’ games this year and failed to register any receptions. As a rookie last season, he totaled six grabs in as many games. He’ll now join a Chicago tight end group that includes Zach Miller, Logan Paulsen and Ben Braunecker.
Bears Release Joique Bell
Less than a month after the Bears signed Joique Bell, the team has released the running back, reports Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link).
Bell, a sixth-year veteran who has spent the majority of his career with the NFC North rival Lions, appeared in four games for the Bears and totaled just three carries. Between his release from the Lions in February and his deal with Chicago, the 30-year-old sat on the open market for several months.
With Bell gone, the Bears will go forward with Jordan Howard, Jeremy Langford and Ka’Deem Carey as their backfield options. Langford has been out since Week 3 with an ankle injury, but he could be nearing a return. Howard and Carey have filled in well in his absence, combining for 459 yards on 96 carries. The lion’s share of work has gone to Howard, a fifth-round rookie who has averaged 4.8 yards per rush on 72 attempts, scored two touchdowns (including one receiving) and caught 14 passes.
Latest On Bears QB Brian Hoyer
After going under the knife, Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer will be out for a while. The good news is that he might not be done for the season. The veteran’s updated timetable for recovery is now 6-8 weeks, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. After a few days, the Bears will evaluate Hoyer and make a roster decision.
If he’s placed on IR, Hoyer will be out of action until Week 16 at the earliest. However, if he is left on the roster and his radius heals up quickly, he could return to action in Week 14 to face the Lions in Detroit.
Hoyer was thrust into the lineup during Week 2 when Jay Cutler went down with a sprained thumb. On the year, Hoyer completed more than 68% of his passes for 1,396 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. Unfortunately, his injury will sideline him for much of the season.
As of this writing, Matt Barkley stands as the Bears’ only certifiably healthy quarterback. With no QBs on the practice squad, they are likely to sign another signal caller this week if Cutler cannot go against the Vikings on Monday night. If Cutler is healthy, he is expected to start.
OTC: Alshon Jeffery Could Earn Over $14MM Per Year
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes an in-depth look at how Bears wideout Alshon Jefferey could fare on the open market this offseason. Historically speaking, Jeffery is unlikely to be hit with the franchise tag for a second consecutive year, and a player with his ability does not often reach the open market. Fitzgerald believes Chicago will regret not locking Jeffery up long-term, and that the South Carolina product’s next contract could pay him over $14MM per season.
Bears QB Brian Hoyer To Undergo Surgery
SUNDAY, 10:22am: Hoyer will indeed have surgery on his broken left arm, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan, who adds that the surgery will happen today. Hoyer will miss at least eight weeks and could be placed on IR. If Jay Cutler is still not ready to suit up in time for next week’s matchup against Minnesota, Chicago likely will have to sign another quarterback this week, as Matt Barkley would be the only healthy quarterback on the roster.
FRIDAY, 10:52am: Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer has been diagnosed with an isolated radius forearm fracture, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Surgery is considered likely, but a late-season return could also happen, Rapoport adds. 
Hoyer is almost certainly going to be placed on injured reserve, though the Bears could bring him back late in the year if he heals up in time. If placed on IR, the veteran would be out of action until Week 16 at the earliest. Of course, the Bears can only bring one player back from IR this year. As shown on Roster Resource, cornerback Kyle Fuller could still theoretically return and could do so as early as Week 11. Wide receiver Kevin White was previously thought to be a return candidate, but his recent surgery probably rules him out for 2016. Ultimately, the Bears will have to weigh their valuation of Hoyer versus Fuller, assuming both are capable of playing.
Hoyer has completed more than 68% of his passes for 1,396, six touchdowns, and no interceptions since taking over for Jay Cutler during Week 2. When Hoyer exited, backup quarterback Matt Barkley was put into the game, but it’s also possible that Cutler could get another opportunity to start once he’s healthy. In any event, the Bears will probably add another quarterback to the roster in the coming days.
Bears Work Out O’Brien Schofield, Three Others
The Bears tried out four defenders this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter): defensive ends Josh Boyd and Marquis Jackson, as well as linebackers Andy Mulumba and O’Brien Schofield. With starting nose tackle Eddie Goldman
expected to miss next week’s game, the team is clearly looking for some defensive depth.
Schofield, 29, is the most experienced of the bunch. The 29-year-old has bounced around since joining the league as a fourth-round pick in 2010. The defensive end has played 84 career games with the Cardinals, Seahawks, and Falcons, collecting 141 career tackles and 15.5 sacks. The veteran was released by Atlanta earlier this month, and he recently had an audition with the Lions.
Mulumba and Boyd both spent the previous three seasons with the Packers. Mulumba, 26, made 22 appearances over that three-year span, compiling 35 tackles. Boyd, 27, appeared in 26 games, including four starts.
Jackson has briefly spent time with the Vikings and Bears, although he’s yet to make his NFL debut. The 26-year-old had 18 tackles and 7.5 sacks during his tenure with the Portland Thunder of the Arena Football League.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/21/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: FB Paul Lasike
- Placed on practice squad IR: RB Raheem Mostert
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: G Ian Silberman
- Placed on practice squad IR: OT Takoby Cofield
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: G Darrell Greene
- Cut: CB Duke Thomas
Bears Still Plan To Move On From Jay Cutler
After losing Brian Hoyer to a broken arm last night, the Bearss are likely to turn things back over to Jay Cutler at some point this season. It’s not a huge surprise, but one source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) that the team still intends to move on from Cutler after the year is over. 
Cutler was forced out of action (or, removed himself from action) earlier this year when he suffered a sprained thumb. It sounds like Cutler may have been able to return to the lineup earlier this month, but John Fox & Co. opted to continue with Hoyer. Last night, when Hoyer was taken out of the game, Matt Barkley took the field for the first time in his NFL career.
In 2009, the Bears shipped two first-rounders, a third-rounder, and Kyle Orton to Denver to acquire Cutler. Years later, the Bears are preparing to divorce themselves from their one-time face of the franchise. In Cutler’s 99 regular-season starts for Chicago, the team has hovered around .500 (50-49), including a woeful 3-14 record at home since 2014. In total, Cutler has completed 61.9 percent of passes and thrown 151 touchdowns against 106 interceptions.