Tyler Scott was supposed to be a long-term piece in Chicago when the Bears spent a fourth-round pick on him back in 2023.
But after two very underwhelming seasons in the Windy City, Chicago waived Scott as part of its final roster cuts this year. He didn’t sit without a team for long, though. On August 28, the Indianapolis Colts announced they signed him to their practice squad.
While with the Bears, Scott didn’t offer enough on special teams, and he never clicked as a productive wideout. The NFL doesn’t wait around, and if you’re not producing or filling a niche role, you’re gone.
Scott’s lack of success in Chicago will count as another strike against current general manager Ryan Poles when it comes to unsuccessful draft picks.
A Look Back at New Indianapolis Colts WR Tyler Scott’s 2 Seasons With the Bears
GettyWR Tyler Scott has signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
Scott came out of Cincinnati with a reputation as a straight-line burner who could threaten secondaries vertically and maybe give you a little bit of gadget work underneath. His rookie year wasn’t spectacular, but it wasn’t nothing either. He finished with 17 catches, 168 yards receiving and another 41 yards on the ground.
In Year 2, his shine continued to wear off further. He logged just one catch for five yards in 11 games, and his offensive snaps went drastically down (he played 439 snaps as a rookie on offense in 2023 and just 20 offensive snaps in 2024).
The Bears still gave him a shot heading into the 2025 season, and he had 99 yards and a touchdown during the preseason. But due to an overly crowded WRs room and his lack of noteworthy plays, it didn’t move the needle for a staff that had already started turning the page.
Jahdae Walker’s Emergence Helped Push Scott Out
So what does Chicago’s WRs room look like? Chicago currently has DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Olamide Zaccheaus, rookie Luther Burden III, and undrafted rookie Jahdae Walker on its roster. Return specialist Devin Duvernay will likely be added before Week 1.
Moore and Odunze are the team’s top two wideouts heading into the regular season, and Zaccheaus has earned the WR3 role after a stellar preseason and a clear connection with QB Caleb Williams right out of the gate.
Burden is a bit of a wild card. The Bears grabbed him early on Day 2, and he has the potential to be something special if developed properly. He doesn’t need 100 targets to make a difference. He’s a YAC-machine who should excel when getting schemed touches in Ben Johnson’s offense. His presence alone helped the team move on from Scott, because they weren’t going to keep another developmental wideout without special-teams value.
Then there’s Walker, the guy who also helped make it easier to move on from Scott. He came in undrafted, stacked good days together in camp, and then went out and made plays in preseason, including a game-winning catch against the Chiefs.
He’s long, he tracks the ball well and he’s not a liability on special teams. That’s exactly what you need from your WR5. The coaches saw it, trusted it and ultimately rewarded him. That’s why Scott’s wearing Colts gear today and Walker’s in the Bears’ locker room. It’ll be interesting to see how he does with a fresh start.
Recent Bears Draft Bust Gets New Life After Signing With Colts