Bears Add Standout Rookie DE Previously Hosted for Pre-Draft Visit

Getty Deslin Alexandre #5 of the Pittsburgh Panthers reacts after a sack in the second quarter during the game against the Syracuse Orange at Acrisure Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears are circling back to one of the rookie defensive ends who caught their attention during the 2023 pre-draft process and stashing him on their practice squad for further development as they inch toward Week 1.

According to the team’s official transaction wire, the Bears signed former New York Jets undrafted rookie Deslin Alexandre — who had a standout career for Pitt’s defensive line in college — to their practice squad on Thursday along with defensive lineman Daniel Hardy, interior offensive lineman Bill Murray and kicker John Parker Romo.

Alexandre notched 29 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks during his final season with the Panthers despite missing three games with an injury early in the year and had taken a top-30 visit with the Bears in March ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. He ultimately went undrafted and signed with the Jets, playing a hefty 109 total snaps for them in the preseason and notching seven tackles, five pressures, five defensive stops and a sack.

The Bears also signed second-year safety A.J. Thomas back to their practice squad on Friday, September 1, after he competed for one of their backup safety jobs on the 53-man roster during training camp and their three-game preseason slate last month.

Deslin Alexandre Tous Impressive 82-Inch Wingspan

Alexandre was probably glad to get an opportunity to go through the NFL offseason program with the Jets’ 4-3 defense this summer after going unselected in April’s draft, but his task of trying to make their initial 53-man roster was a tough one. Not only did the Jets return starters John Franklin-Myers and Carl Lawson, but they also had two recent first-round picks — Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald IV — vying for reps.

Largely, though, Alexandre’s preseason tape backed up the assessments that Lance Zierlein of NFL.com made in his pre-draft profile for him coming out of Pitt.

Alexandre (6-foot-4, 264 pounds) is an edge defender who relies on his broad frame and natural power. He’s long and naturally heavy-handed, but he will need to play with much better bend to improve his ability to hold the point against the run. While he’s a segment mover at times, he does have quick feet and shows decent pursuit quickness and motor. He’s a face-up rusher who is unlikely to beat NFL opponents with craft moves and counters, so fortifying his power rush will be critical as a Day 3 possibility for 4-3 defenses.

Alexandre has two things Matt Eberflus’ coaching staff has been known to love: great length (82-inch wingspan) and inside-out versatility after playing both edge rusher and defensive tackle in college. While he is still more of a project than an NFL-ready talent, the Bears could use more young talent to develop off the edge with 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson currently the youngest option for them on the 53-man roster.

Bears Have Filled All But One Spot on Practice Squad

With Thomas’ official return, the Bears now have all but one of their 16 spots filled on their first practice squad of the 2022 season with most of the occupants being players who went through the offseason program with them and missed the initial roster cut.

Two of the more predictable names returning to the practice squad are seventh-round rookies Travis Bell and Kendall Williamson. Both showed promise during the preseason and were intriguing enough to the Bears’ front office to spend a draft pick on them, so it comes as no surprise that the front office would want them back to continue developing. They also brought back two of their undrafted rookies — defensive lineman Jalen Harris and linebacker Micah Baskerville — after both had encouraging camps with the team.

The other members of the practice squad (aside from Thursday’s announced signings) include: cornerback Greg Stroman Jr., fullback Robert Burns, linebacker DeMarquis Gates, offensive tackle Aviante Collins, tight end Stephen Carlson and wide receiver Nsimba Webster. They also have Nigerian offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka on their practice squad, but his participation in the NFL’s International Pathway Program gives him an exception — meaning he can occupy the squad without taking up a spot.