Bears Cut Loose Rookie to Sign Former Cowboys Veteran OT

Getty Aviante Collins #61 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the 2021 NFL preseason Hall of Fame Game against the Dallas Cowboys at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium on August 5, 2021 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears have decided to add a veteran to their young offensive tackle room on the day of their first 2023 training-camp practice.

According to the team’s official transaction wire for July 26, the Bears signed former Dallas Cowboys veteran offensive tackle Aviante Collins to their 90-man camp roster on Wednesday and cut loose undrafted rookie tackle Lorenz Metz to free up a roster spot.

Collins, 30, is now the second-oldest offensive lineman on the Bears’ roster and by far the oldest player in the tackle room, which is comprised entirely of players with two or fewer seasons of experience on their NFL resumes. He has also played snaps at every position on the line except for center over the duration of his seven-year career, which has included stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers.

In terms of experience, though, Collins isn’t exactly an addition that screams security. He has played just seven regular-season games over his seven years in the league and just two — both last year for the Cowboys — in the last three seasons. Perhaps the Bears feel there could be some upside in his journeyman status, but he will have quite a bit to prove over the next month of camp practices to avoid being just another camp body.

The Bears will hold their second camp practice at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 27.

Lorenz Metz Had Size Appeal, But Faced Tough Roster Battle

The Bears’ decision to waive Metz deducts another name from their list of UDFA signings in the spring; although, it is not terribly surprising considering the uphill battle he would have faced trying to make the roster behind a group of mostly-settled starters.

Metz, a 6-foot-9, 361-pound German native, saw starting action at right tackle, left tackle and right guard throughout his collegiate career at Cincinnati and earned high praise for his ability to pick up the game quickly despite not playing football until he was 18 years old. He also had excellent arm length (34 1/4 inches) and upper-body strength that could have made him an interesting preseason competitor for the Bears.

The Bears are already young enough as it is, though, in terms of tackle talent. They are going to be depending on a second-year pro (Braxton Jones) and a first-round rookie (Darnell Wright) as their two starting offensive tackles during the 2023 season and currently have Larry Borom — who has 17 career starts — as their next-most-experienced tackle on the roster. At least with Collins, the Bears have someone who has gone through the build-up of an NFL season before and played in real games.

Metz will now have to hope he can find new lodgings with another NFL team as camp practices all around the league. If not, perhaps he will get lucky and get another call from the Bears if circumstances change or they like his fit with their practice squad.

Bears Place WR Dante Pettis on Injury List to Begin Camp

GettyBears wide receiver Dante Pettis.

The Bears did also make one more roster move on Wednesday when they placed veteran wide receiver and punt returner Dante Pettis on the active/non-football injury list. The main distinction between the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and the NFI list is that the latter is for players who sustained an injury away from football activities, which could be an accident or illness or simply an on-their-own practice.

Since Pettis has been placed on the active/NFI list, he will be eligible to return to practice for the Bears as soon as he is medically cleared. The Bears have already seen quick injury-list turnarounds for one of their wide receivers as starter Chase Claypool was initially placed on the PUP list but was removed the next day when cleared.

For Pettis, the sooner he is back on the field, the better his chances are of making the 53-man roster at the end of August. The 27-year-old was a primary piece in the Bears’ receiving corps in 2022 and caught 19 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns over his 17 games, but he has far less roster security in 2023 with the new arrivals of D.J. Moore and rookie Tyler Scott as well as the from-the-start presence of Claypool.

In truth, Pettis may need to be undeniable as a return man to have a shot at making the Bears’ 53-man roster. He spent the back half of the 2022 season as their primary punt returner after Velus Jones Jr. lost the privilege, but he didn’t blow anyone away with his 18 returns for 9.1 yards. Making the roster could require him to convincingly beat out Jones in camp while also making sure that he doesn’t fall behind the pack as a receiver, where Jones and Equanimeous St. Brown are also competing for in-season depth roles.