Bears Practice-Squad Tracker: Breakout Rookie CB Re-Signs With Chicago

Getty Reddy Steward #18 and Keyshawn Swanson #23 of the Troy Trojans react against the UTSA Roadrunners during the fourth quarter of the Duluth Trading Cure Bowl at Exploria Stadium on December 16, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears have officially set their initial 53-man roster for the 2024 season following the August 27 deadline for all NFL teams. Now comes the next phase: Figuring out which players deserve a spot on their practice squad.

The Bears are allowed to start signing players — either their own roster cuts or players cast off during other teams’ roster cutdowns — for their initial 16-man practice squad between now and the 4 p.m. Eastern Time deadline on Wednesday, August 28.

Teams can also add a 17th player if they have someone with an International Player Pathway Program designation. The Bears, however, designated rookie punter Tory Taylor — a 53-man roster member — as their international exemption during training camp to avoid him counting against their 90-man roster total and would need to re-assign the international exemption to someone else to take advantage of the rule.

Here is a live tracker for all of the Bears’ reported 2024 practice-squad signings:

Micah Baskerville, LB

Baskerville — a 2023 undrafted free agent signing — showed signs of improvement in his second season with the Bears, notching 11 total tackles, two pass deflections and a pick-six over the past month of preseason action. While Baskerville could not crack a veteran-heavy linebacker rotation, the Bears would likely make him their first choice for elevation if they needed more bodies. They elevated him three times in 2023.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Theo Benedet, OT (Rookie)

Benedet vaulted to social media stardom after his debut on the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears,” during which he stripped down to a Speedo during his rookie karaoke session and earned the nickname the Canadian Eagle. Unfortunately, he also suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain in the Bears’ first preseason game, which sidelined him for the rest of the preseason. Clearly, though, Chicago feels good about his upside, bringing him back for further development.

Note: Benedet — a Canada native — will likely receive an international exemption for the Bears, making him the 17th eligible member of the Bears’ 2024 practice squad.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Stephen Carlson, TE

Rookie Brenden Bates outshined Carlson during the 2024 preseason, but the New York Jets robbed the Bears of their chance to re-sign Bates when they claimed him off the waivers following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline on August 27. So instead, the Bears are bringing back Carlson — who caught five passes for 30 yards in limited preseason action — for a second consecutive stint on their practice squad and will rely on him as their fourth-string tight end for the forthcoming 2024 season.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Byron Cowart, DT

The Bears opted not to keep Cowart on their initial 53-man roster despite their depth issues at the defensive tackle position, but they were willing to bring back the 36-game veteran for their practice squad to safeguard against further injury issues emerging. The Bears signed Cowart to a one-year contract in the first week of 2024 free agency, but he failed to stand out enough to earn an active-roster spot in the interior rotation.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Jake Curhan, OT

Like Cowart, the Bears signed Curhan to a one-year contract in the first week of 2024 free agency, but an injury on the first day of padded practice in training camp kept the team from getting an extended look at him. With offensive tackle Larry Borom on the injured reserve list, Curhan could see elevation opportunities if the Bears begin to have doubts about third-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie’s readiness once the season begins.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Scott Daly, LS (Previously with Lions)

With Patrick Scales expectedly starting the season on the injured reserve list, the Bears have added another long snapper to the mix. Daly previously long snapped for the Detroit Lions and is a local product originally from Downers Grove, Illinois. While the team could still sign another long snapper to its 53-man roster, Daly is currently the top option to replace Scales on the opening-day roster for Week 1 against Tennessee.

Source: The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs

Collin Johnson, WR

The only reason Johnson would not have returned to the Bears’ practice squad would have been if another team claimed him off the waivers. Since none did, the Bears were able to re-sign the 6-foot-6, 222-pound wide receiver and keep in him the fold as their No. 7 wide receiver — and a potential call-up option if either Velus Jones Jr. or DeAndre Carter proves untrustworthy at the receiver position behind their primary four guys. Johnson might have even outright earned a spot on the 53-man roster had an injury not kept him sidelined during the team’s final three games of the 2024 preseason.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Quindell Johnson, S

The Bears claimed Johnson off the waiver wire during the 2023 roster cutdown and employed him as their fourth safety during his rookie season. He played in nine games and finished with one interception, one pass deflection and three total tackles, but he also faced a tough challenge trying to make the 2024 active roster after the team signed Kevin Byard III and Jonathan Owens in free agency. Ultimately, Johnson lost out to Elijah Hicks — a 2022 draft pick — for the No. 4 safety role, but he will remain in the fold for the Bears and could be called up if the Bears cannot stay healthy at the position.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Carl Jones, LB

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Jamree Kromah, DE (Rookie)

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Dashaun Mallory, DT (Rookie)

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Tarvarius Moore, S

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Austin Reed, QB (Rookie)

The Bears must feel good about their ability to develop young quarterbacks. They now have a first-round rookie starter, a second-year backup who went undrafted in 2023 and an undrafted rookie filling out the third-stringer role on their practice squad. Reed showed flashes during the 2024 preseason, going 12-of-16 passing for 123 yards and a touchdown in three games. Evidently, Reed’s limited showing was enough to persuade the Bears to keep him over the more experienced Brett Rypien — who also played well. He will now continue to develop alongside his peers, Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent.

Source: 670 The Score’s Chris Emma (Bears confirmed)

Sam Roberts, DT (Previously with Patriots)

According to Schefter, the Bears are signing Roberts with “the intention of” calling him up for their Week 1 home opener against the Titans on September 8. That is no surprise considering 2023 third-round pick Zacch Pickens is still nursing a groin injury and is in doubt to play against Tennessee. The Bears will likely still depend heavily on Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings and DeMarcus Walker for their interior line spots, but Roberts — a 2022 sixth-round pick for New England — should add rotational depth. He tallied seven total tackles in 12 career games for the Patriots over the past two seasons.

Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter

Reddy Steward, CB (Rookie)

Steward punctuated a strong first training camp with a two-interception performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Bears’ preseason finale. He also notched at least five tackles in two of his four preseason games, making a compelling case for one of the depth spots in the team’s cornerback rotation for 2024. Ultimately, the Bears felt more comfortable keeping proven guys, such as Josh Blackwell and Jaylon Jones, but they are not giving up on Steward and his potential to crack the roster in the future.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Ro Torrence, CB (Rookie)

While Steward is the bigger practice-squad retention for Chicago’s cornerback room, the team also re-signed Torrence and kept another undrafted rookie in the mix. The Bears had signed Torrence to their 90-man roster on August 2 after he initially joined the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted rookie following the 2024 NFL draft. Torrence had just two tackles and did not shine quite as brightly as Steward in the preseason, but he offers the Bears another young corner to develop behind the scenes.

Source: Bears’ official transaction wire

Samori Toure, WR (Previously with Packers)

Toure is the first of the Bears’ practice-squad signings who did not spend time with the team during training camp, but the 2022 seventh-round pick did play up north for the rival Green Bay Packers and caught 13 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown over his first two seasons in the NFL, operating primarily as a deep-depth receiver. The Bears will likely add at least one more receiver to their practice squad, but Toure has great speed and change of direction and could provide help during the season if the Bears’ receiving corps runs into issues with health or availability.

Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter