The Chicago Bears have quietly moved on from linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, bringing an abrupt end to the former fourth round pick’s time with the team…
Chicago waived Hyppolite with an injury designation when it trimmed its roster to 53 players in August. He cleared waivers and initially reverted to the Bears’ injured reserve, but his disappearance from Chicago’s IR list indicated that an injury settlement had been reached.
The move closes the book on a pick that never turned into much for the Bears – Hyppolite was selected 132nd overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he played only seven games as a rookie and finished the season with six tackles while making just one start.
Now, Chicago has decided there is no reason to keep waiting on him.
Hyppolite’s Bears career never got going
There was a path for Ruben Hyppolite II to become part of the Chicago Bears’ linebacker rotation entering his second season, but he never got the chance to build any momentum.
His rookie season was already a limited one as Hyppolite appeared in seven games and was mostly a depth player, recording only four tackles on defense and two more on special teams, according to the Bears.
That made 2026 an important offseason for him… Instead, a shoulder injury suffered during Chicago’s second preseason game against the Cleveland Browns completely ruined his chances of competing for a roster spot.
Hyppolite also revealed he underwent surgery and said it was successful in an Instagram post where he thanked people for their prayers. And wrote that he was looking forward to the recovery process.
“Praising God for a successful surgery! Looking forward to this process. Thank you for y’all’s prayers — I’ll be right back!” Hyppolite wrote.
The Bears, meanwhile, have moved forward without him.
Chicago has already moved on at linebacker
Now calling Ruben Hyppolite II a draft bust is certainly a harsh label for a player whose career was only beginning, and the shoulder injury prevented him from getting a legitimate opportunity to change the narrative in 2026.
But the results of the pick speak for themselves so far.
Chicago spent a fourth round selection (a big reach) on Hyppolite and got seven games, one start and six total tackles from him as a rookie. He then failed to make the 2026 roster and is now no longer under contract with the team – That is a disappointing return from a fourth round investment.
Sure Hyppolite still has plenty of time to revive his NFL career elsewhere once he is healthy. His college career at Maryland did show a much different player. For the Bears, though, that chapter is over.
Chicago has already moved on to the next group of linebackers, and Hyppolite’s injury settlement simply makes official what had been developing behind the scenes.
The former fourth round pick will now focus on getting healthy and finding his next opportunity, while the Bears head into the rest of the season without him.
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