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Wide receiver Dazz Newsome was one of the players let go by the Chicago Bears when the team reduced its roster to 80 players on August 23, and he’s already received interest from multiple teams.
According to the NFL’s August 27 and 28 waiver wires, Newsome has since had workouts with the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots.
A sixth-round pick (No. 221 overall) in 2021 out of the University of North Carolina, Newsome was a member of Chicago’s practice squad for the majority of his rookie season before getting moved to the active roster in Week 14, when he made his NFL debut against the Minnesota Vikings. He played in three of the team’s final four games, catching two passes for 23 yards.
He also contributed on special teams, returning six punts for 75 yards (12.5 yards per return). At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Newsome isn’t huge, but he has value in the return game — if he can get a handle on his recent issues with fumbling the ball, that is.
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Inconsistent Play Led to Newsome’s Release in Chicago
Newsome hauled in a 13-yard touchdown pass in Chicago’s 19-14 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs, also rushing once for 13 yards. He also muffed a punt, but managed to recover it. In the Bears’ second preseason matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, he wasn’t so lucky. He caught one pass for 14 yards, but lost a fumble on a punt return. That, coupled with some drops throughout training camp, ultimately led to his release.
“Everybody makes mistakes,” Bears wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said after the Bears’ first preseason game against the Chiefs, per the team’s official website. “Players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes. It’s the next play up. You have to be able to go onto the next play.”
Newsome wasn’t quite able to nip the errors in the bud, and he will now likely get a second chance to prove himself elsewhere.
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Could Newsome Head South to Atlanta for a Reunion?
In his final season with the Tar Heels 2020, Newsome tallied 54 catches for 684 yards (12.7 yards per catch) and six touchdowns, also scoring a rushing touchdown in 12 starts. Additionally, he returned 17 punts for a total of 168 yards (9.9 yards per return). The year prior, in 2019, he caught 72 passes for 1,018 yards and 10 scores, so he’s capable of producing as a receiver.
Considering the interest he’s already garnering, at the very least, Newsome should wind up on another team’s practice squad. It’s possible he’ll head South.
We’ll see whether former Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who currently serves as senior personnel executive for the Atlanta Falcons, brings him in for a tryout, as well. Pace and the Falcons have already added several former Bears, including running back Damien Williams, offensive linemen Germain Ifedi and Elijah Wilkinson and wideout Damiere Byrd. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Newsome added to that list.
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