Sept. 25--Jeremiah Ratliff will be eligible to return from suspension on Monday and the Chicago Bears are reportedly close to adding another veteran defensive lineman.
The team is expected to sign Mitch Unrein, who played for coach John Fox previously in Denver, according to a report by NFL Network. Unrein, 28, was released on Thursday by the San Diego Chargers, who needed a roster spot to sign tight end Kyle Miller with Ladarius Green sidelined by a concussion.
Unrein spent the previous four seasons with the Broncos, appearing in 54 games with three starts. He played in the first two games for the Chargers. The 6-foot-4, 306-pounder is a role player and considered stout versus the run, although he logged only 46 snaps on defense last season and was healthy and inactive for nine of the team's 17 games, including the playoffs.
Unrein originally joined the NFL with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent following a college career at Wyoming. The Chargers signed Unrein in March to a $1.9 million, two-year contract that included $250,000 guaranteed.
Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase is also quite familiar with Unrein, who was used by the former Broncos offensive coordinator as a fullback on occasion in the goalline package. Unrein caught a touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012.
The Bears already added one defensive end to the roster this season, signing Lavar Edwards on Sept. 16 after Cornelius Washington was placed on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury.
Ratliff must sit out one more game as part of a three-game suspension from the NFL. He suffered an ankle injury in the third preseason game at Cincinnati and has been rehabilitating it. His status for Week 4 against the Oakland Raiders remains unknown but Ratliff has been optimistic he will be ready.
bmbiggs@tribune.com
