The Chicago Bears are rebuilding. That much is obvious based on how GM Ryan Poles talks every time to the media. It is pretty obvious the team plans to be active on the waiver wire once roster cuts are finalized around the NFL. Chicago occupied the 7th spot in the pecking order. That gives them a prime opportunity to land a few players they may have their eyes on. This roster has serious depth concerns.
Following the end of the preseason, the Bears have multiple areas to address. Wide receiver is one people have harped on for months. The interior offensive line also has lingering question marks. They can’t trust their interior defensive line or cornerback depth on defense. It doesn’t mean the team will address every position. That will come down to which players may or may not be available. Here are a few to watch.
Chicago Bears could have some decent waiver wire options.
Wide receiver: Darius Slayton
The Bears have serious depth concerns at receiver. N’Keal Harry and Byron Pringle are out with injuries. Velus Jones continues to miss practice too. Tajae Sharpe went missing after his strong preseason opener. They don’t have many proven options outside of Darnell Mooney. Slayton is a veteran who had a pair of decent seasons in 2020 and 2021 for the New York Giants. He has good size and reliable speed. Best of all, he already has a connection to Chicago through Bears wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert.
Offensive guard: Nate Herbig
The Jets added Herbig this off-season, but it sounds like he didn’t arrive in time to secure a roster spot. While unfortunate for him, it could be beneficial for the Chicago Bears. He has over 1300 snaps of regular season experience under his belt, allowing 30 pressures and three sacks in 848 pass-blocking reps. That isn’t too bad. Assistant GM Ian Cunningham helped sign him as an undrafted free agent in 2019, so there is definite familiarity. He can be the perfect swing backup for Teven Jenkins and Cody Whitehair.
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.@eagles @nate_herbig showed a lot of promise in his 12 starts last year. He has great balance. His feet are in the ground. And he has good power. Anxious to watch him in year #3. Gets me XXXited. #FlyEaglesFly #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/mjmTyBOkYD
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) March 19, 2021
Vikings are releasing DT TY McGill.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 29, 2022
Defensive tackle: T.Y. McGill
The interior pass rush is vital to the Bears’ new 4-3 defense. Justin Jones is the primary man expected to help with that. Is he enough? That is a fair question. His track record doesn’t offer much hope. The best thing to do is seek out possible rotational options that can contribute. McGill was one of the biggest standouts of the preseason, racking up nine pressures and four sacks on just 29 pass rush reps for Minnesota. He isn’t the biggest guy at 6’0, 300 lbs. Still, he understands how to shoot gaps.
Cornerback: Mike Hughes
Finding good cornerbacks on the waiver wire is difficult. The position is so coveted these days. That means teams must settle for taking calculated risks. Hughes was a 1st round pick in 2018. Evaluators loved his strength, toughness, quickness, and instincts. Sadly multiple injuries ruined his time with the Minnesota Vikings. He managed to stay healthy last year with the Kansas City Chiefs and showed flashes of the player he could be. Now it looks like he’s not going to crack the roster in Detroit. It’s amazing to think he is still only 25 years old. If the Bears are looking for some veteran experience, he is a worthwhile gamble.
