Cuts this year look different than any other season.
NFL teams spent training camp with 80 players instead of the usual 90, allowing owners to save money and teams to prevent the risk o. They still must trim their rosters to 53 players by 3 p.m. Saturday, but they can fill a 16-player practice squad — expanded to protect against coronavirus outbreaks — starting Sunday.
Tracking whom the Bears are cutting:
Saturday
3:20 p.m. — The Bears cut second-year offensive lineman Sam Mustipher, a Notre Dame grad.
3:15 p.m. — The Bears have cut offensive lineman Badara Traore, an undrafted player from LSU, a source said.
3 p.m. — The Bears are cutting seventh-round pick Lachavious Simmons, according to Yahoo, but the offensive lineman could return on the practice squad.
2:10 p.m. — Cornerback Stephen Demark, a seventh-round pick last year, has been cut, a source said. Denmark spent all last season on the practice squad. The Bears were intrigued by his 6-foot-2 frame after he switched from offense while at Valdosta State.
2:05 p.m. — The Bears cut offensive lineman Dieter Eiselen, rookie undrafted free agent from South Africa by way of Yale, per a source.
2 p.m. — The Bears are waiving cornerback Xavier Crawford, NFL Network reported. Crawford was a sixth-round pick by the Texans last season. Three teams have cut him in less than a year.
1:30 p.m. — The Bears cut undrafted defensive lineman Trevon McSwain, a source said.
1:15 p.m. — The Bears cut defensive tackle LaCale London, an undrafted rookie out of Western Illinois, with the intent to sign him to their practice squad, a source said.
1:05 p.m. — The Bears cut undrafted rookie running back Artavis Pierce, a source said. If anything, that points to increasing confidence that starter David Montgomery will be ready for the season opener next Sunday. As it stands, the Bears would go into that game with Montgomery, Cordarrelle Patterson, Tarik Cohen and Ryan Nall at running back.
1 p.m. — The Bears are cutting kicker Cairo Santos, a source confirmed to the Sun-Times. He could still stick around. They signed Santos last month and claimed they wanted to carry two kickers throughout the season, as a guard against coronavirus infection. There’s no guarantee that Pineiro is healthy, either — he did not attempt a single kick in front of media members during camp. If he’s not healthy, he could be put on short-term injured reserve, which would allow him to return this season. He’s not eligible for it, though, unless he’s on the 53-man roster at 3 p.m. Saturday.
11:55 a.m. — Bears linebacker Josh Woods is back. Woods, who persevered through a season on the practice squad in 2018 and made the roster last year, made the cut again, a source said. Click here for more on Woods’ story.
Thursday
8:20 a.m. — The Bears waived running back Napoleon Maxwell, receivers Alex Wesley and Ahmad Wagner, offensive lineman Corey Levin, defensive lineman Lee Autry and linebacker Keandre Jones. The Bears typically wait until a day or two later to make their cuts, but they whittled the roster from 80 to 74 players before their final practice of training camp.
Complete list of players waived/released:
Offense
RB Napoleon Maxwell
RB Artavis Pierce
WR Alex Wesley
WR Ahmad Wagner
OL Corey Levin
OL Dieter Eiselen
OL Badara Traore
OL Sam Mustipher
Defense
DL Lee Autry
DL Trevon McSwain
DT LaCale London
LB Keandre Jones
CB Stephen Denmark
CB Xavier Crawford
Special teams
K Cairo Santos
