After a year on the practice squad in 2020 and a promotion to the active roster in 2021, the Chicago Bears are parting ways with linebacker Ledarius Mack, younger brother of All-Pro pass rusher Khalil Mack.
In order to make room for the six players they inked after rookie minicamp, the Bears also released five undrafted free agent players they brought in before camp began: safety Amari Carter, running back Master Teague, wide receivers Landon Lenoir and Savon Scarver and linebacker Jaylan Alexander. The team officially announced the roster additions and subtractions on May 9.
The younger Mack’s exit isn’t a surprise, particularly after his older brother was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers on March 10.
The six players officially signed on May 9 by Chicago are: Northern Arizona defensive end Carson Taylor, former Western Michigan linebacker A.J. Thomas, Charlotte safety Jon Alexander, ex-Ball State outside linebacker Christian Albright, TCU long-snapper Antonio Ortiz and running back De’Montre Tuggle out of Ohio University.
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Could Mack End Up in L.A. With His Brother?
Like his older brother, Ledarius attended college at the University of Buffalo. He spent two years at UB, amassing 7.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and 24 total tackles (11 for loss) in 2019, also getting named to the All-MAC Second Team that year. Over his two seasons with the Bulls, Mack accumulated 9.0 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Mack, 25, graduated in 2020, going undrafted. He signed with the Bears shortly after the draft and wound up on the team’s practice squad, where he remained the entire season.
He was released with an injury settlement at the start of the 2021 season, but the Bears re-signed him in October, and a slew of injuries on defense, including his brother’s season-ending foot injury, gave him an opportunity to see his first NFL action.
He wound up playing in three games for the Bears, finishing with three total tackles, also playing on 30% of the team’s special teams snaps. Now a free agent, it’ll be interesting to see whether he ends up in Los Angeles with his brother, or whether another team takes a chance on him.
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Bears Giving New Crop of UDFAs a Shot
The Bears held their rookie minicamp from May 6-8, bringing in 36 unsigned rookies, along with 16 UDFAs for tryouts.
We covered the signings of Albright, Thomas and Taylor in more detail earlier on May 9, so we’ll take a closer look at Alexander, Ortiz and Tuggle here.
Alexander spent his first two collegiate years in community colleges (Garden City and Kilgore College) before transferring to Kansas State in 2019, where he played for a year before transferring again, playing for Charlotte in 2021. He didn’t play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his nine games with the 49ers, Alexander finished with 57 total tackles, two interceptions, three passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
Tuggle played at Kilgore in 2017 before transferring to Ohio University in Athens in 2019, where he played in 27 games over three seasons. He finished with 24 touchdowns and 1,851 rushing yards on 292 carries, also catching 34 passes for 283 yards and three scores.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Ortiz spent four years at TCU. He served as long-snapper for the Horned Frogs from 2018-2021, playing in 44 games.
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Bears Cut 6 Players, Make Final Decision on Khalil Mack’s Brother Ledarius