Bears Set Initial Roster, Waive DE Trevis Gipson
The Bears have been slowly trimming down their squad over the past few days, and the front office has now officially landed on their initial roster. The Bears announced the following moves, some of which were previously reported:
Placed on IR:
- WR Isaiah Ford
Released:
- DT Andrew Brown
- OT Aviante Collins
- WR Daurice Fountain
- QB Nathan Peterman
- CB Greg Stroman Jr.
- WR Nsimba Webster
Waived:
- LB Micah Baskerville
- DT Travis Bell
- FB Robert Burns
- TE Stephen Carlson
- CB Macon Clark
- OT Kellen Diesch
- G Dieter Eiselen
- LB DeMarquis Gates
- DE Trevis Gipson
- DE Jalen Harris
- OT Bobby Haskins
- DE D’Anthony Jones
- G Josh Lugg
- OT Roy Mbaeteka
- CB Michael Ojemudia
- TE Lachlan Pitts
- DT Bravvion Roy
- G Logan Stenberg
- LB Davion Taylor
- S Bralen Trahan
- CB Kindle Vildor
- LB Barrington Wade
- LB Mykal Walker
- S Kendall Williamson
Waived/injured:
The moves actually reduce Chicago’s roster to 52 players, so additions are certainly coming.
Trevis Gipson is a bit of a surprise cut after the former fifth-round pick got into 33 games (19 starts) for the Bears over the past two years. The defensive lineman showed some pass-rushing prowess during his rookie season, compiling seven sacks, seven tackles for loss, and seven QB hits. His numbers took a bit of a step back in 2022, with the Tulsa product finishing with only three sacks. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter), the Bears worked on a trade for Gipson and had “teams involved” in the bidding but couldn’t come to terms before today’s roster deadline.
Trestan Ebner was another Bears draft pick that got into 17 games last season. The 2022 sixth-round pick ended up getting 26 touches on offense, collecting 62 yards from scrimmage while coughing up two fumbles. Ebner also returned 10 kickoffs for Chicago last season. The running back has been in concussion protocol since the early parts of the preseason, and there’s a chance he reverts to the Bears’ injured reserve if he goes unclaimed.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/23
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: K Matthew Wright
- Waived: OL B.J. Wilson
- Waived/failed physical: DE Jalen Redmond
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Lachlan Pitts, LB Barrington Wade
- Waived: K Andre Szmyt
- Waived/injured: TE Jake Tonges
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: WR Jesse Matthews
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from active/PUP list: DE Tyquan Lewis
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: T Matt Kaskey
New England Patriots
- Placed on active/PUP list: DE Trey Flowers
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: TE J.P. Holtz
New York Jets
- Claimed (from Buccaneers): T Grant Hermanns
- Signed: DE Pita Taumoepenu
- Released: DT Isaiah Mack
- Waived/injured: T Yodny Cajuste
- Reverted to IR: QB Chris Streveler
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Johnny King
- Waived: T Chim Okorafor
- Activated from active/PUP list: WR Devon Allen
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Jalen Elliott
- Waived/injured: WR Ja’Marcus Bradley
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: RB Jeremy McNichols
- Waived: RB Ronald Awatt
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived/injured: CB Andrew Whitaker
Washington Commanders
- Signed: P Colby Wadman
- Placed on IR: DT Curtis Brooks
Flowers, who agreed to terms with the Patriots earlier today after a workout, suffered a foot injury in October of last season. That setback cut short a Dolphins run after four games. Flowers, who will turn 30 next week, last played for the Patriots in 2018.
McNichols joined Duke Johnson, Brian Hill and Jason Huntley at a recent 49ers workout. The 49ers are without Elijah Mitchell for what is expected to be a short stretch. A five-year veteran, McNichols most recently saw action for the Titans in 2021, helping the team as a pass-catching back (28 grabs for 240 yards) while Derrick Henry missed time with a foot fracture.
Allen suffered an injury while competing in the opening rounds of the 110-meter hurdles competition at the USA Track and Field Championships in July. The two-time Olympian owns the sixth-fastest hurdle time this year (13.04 seconds) but missed a key chunk of Eagles camp. This marks his second bid to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster. Allen, 28, spent last season on the Eagles’ practice squad and stayed with the team via a reserve/futures contract in February.
The Panthers’ regular kicker, Eddy Pineiro, is battling a groin injury. Carolina gave Pineiro, their 2022 kicker, $2.25MM guaranteed earlier this offseason. The Jaguars’ primary kicker in 2021, Wright kicked in four Steelers games and two Chiefs contests last season.
A rookie UDFA, Whittaker suffered a torn patellar tendon in a recent Seahawks practice, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Matthews also sustained a season-ending injury — a torn ACL — during a Texans workout, Wilson adds (on Twitter).