Getty The Bears have released LB DeMarquis Gates ahead of Week 18.
The Chicago Bears have made multiple roster moves heading into their January 7 season finale against their NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers.
Chicago announced it had signed wide receiver Collin Johnson to its 53-man roster, also adding long snapper Matt Overton to the practice squad. Overton fills the spot of linebacker DeMarquis Gates, whom the Bears waived in a corresponding roster move.
Gates, 27, is an undrafted free agent who entered the league in 2018. He has bounced around on numerous practice squads over his career, landing in Chicago last season, when he appeared in three games.
This year, Gates has appeared in five games for the Bears, contributing solely on special teams. He has a solo tackle and a fumble recovery on the season.
Bears Elevate WR Collin Johnson Ahead of Big Matchup vs. Green Bay Packers
Untimely injuries have hurt Collin Johnson’s NFL career but he refused to give up and worked his ass off.
The reward:
The Bears initially signed Johnson to their practice squad on October 10. A fifth-round pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars out of the University of Texas in 2020, Johnson played in 26 games over his first two seasons, catching 29 passes for 377 yards and two touchdowns.
A torn Achilles tendon in August 2022 kept him out of football in his third season, however.
The 6-foot-6, 220-pound wideout landed in the Windy City this year, and has been elevated to the active roster for two games so far this season. He caught his first pass with the Bears last week, an 11-yard snag from quarterback Justin Fields in Chicago’s 37-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
With wide receiver Darnell Mooney still missing practice while in concussion protocol, the big-bodied WR could see action once again in the Bears’ season finale against the rival Packers.
Bears Also Sign Pro Bowl Specialist to Practice Squad After Patrick Scales Injury
Shoutout to Patrick Scales, who hasn’t missed a game for the #Bears since 2017.
He didn’t practice today with a foot injury, and they signed former Pro Bowl LS Matt Overton in case he can’t go.
Regardless of whether his streak remains, Scales deserves props for his reliability.
Patrick Scales has been with the Bears since 2015, and has been the team’s lone long snapper since 2016. He hasn’t missed a game since taking over long snapper duties for Chicago, save for the 2017 season, which he missed due to a torn ACL. After playing in 119 games for the Bears, Scales may be about to miss his first since that time.
The veteran long snapper is dealing with a foot injury and, as of January 4, had yet to practice ahead of Week 18.
The team added Overton as a likely insurance policy. If Scales can’t go, expect to see Overton, who has spent the last 10 seasons playing for the Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Cowboys, making the Pro Bowl with the Colts in 2013.
“We’ll see where Scales is as we go through the week,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters on Wednesday, January 3. “We’re hopeful that it looks good, but we’ll see where it goes from there.”
In addition to Scales and Mooney, top tight end Cole Kmet (knee), starting corner Jaylon Johnson (shoulder), backup quarterback Tyson Bagent (illness) and wideout DJ Moore (ankle) were all listed on Chicago’s injury report heading into the Packers matchup. While Mooney and Scales remain question marks, everyone else is expected to play.