Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. has a new NFL opportunity.
The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs reported Sunday the Chicago Bears signed Bishop to their training camp roster. Bishop inked the contract after trying out for the Bears last week.
“Bears seek another body in the secondary. CB Beanie Bishop, who was part of 9-man tryout earlier this week, has been signed,” wrote Biggs on X. “LS Luke Elkin has been waived.
“Bishop is the fourth DB to be added in a 3-day span.”
Bishop became a fan favorite during his rookie 2024 season for the Steelers.
The defensive back played college football at West Virginia, which already gave him a fan club among a sect of Steelers Nation. He then performed well during his first several weeks in his rookie season.
In his second career start during Week 7, Bishop intercepted Aaron Rodgers with the New York Jets twice. That made him a very popular player in Pittsburgh.
Bishop finished his rookie season with 45 combined tackles, seven pass defenses and four interceptions. But last season, Bishop didn’t make the team out of training camp. The Steelers signed the defensive back to their practice squad but released him in November.
Bishop didn’t play any regular season games last season.
Ex-Steelers CB Beanie Bishop Jr. Signs With Chicago Bears
Unfortunately, Bishop was not able to continue his hot start to 2024 for his entire rookie season. Part of why was his lost playing time to former Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton.
The veteran served an eight-game suspension to begin the 2024 campaign. In Week 10 when Sutton returned, Bishop remained Pittsburgh’s starting slot cornerback.
But Sutton carved into Bishop’s playing time. Two weeks later, Bishop was no longer the starter.
Playing roughly half the time for the final two months of 2024, Bishop didn’t perform as well. The Steelers then replaced him through the Jalen Ramsey trade the following offseason.
Bishop provided the Steelers great depth from the practice squad for almost two months last fall. But he finished the season with the New Orleans Saints after the Steelers waived him in November.
Bishop was on the Saints practice squad for almost all of December. He then signed a futures contract in New Orleans after the regular season.
The defensive back remained with the Saints until New Orleans waived him on July 28.
Bishop Received 3-Game Suspension
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported in March the former undrafted defensive back received a three-game suspension. Bishop violated the league’s substance-abuse policy.
The Saints didn’t released Bishop until more than four months later. But the suspension could have played a role in his departure.
Chicago is rolling the dice in the potential hope that Bishop will be ready to help the Bears when he returns. Chicago is clearly looking for change in its secondary, as the team has signed multiple different defensive backs in recent days.
Still, Bishop could have his work cut out for him to make the Bears roster. He’s joining the team two weeks into training camp and just a few days before the preseason opener. His pending suspension also still looms.
NFL teams have to cut their rosters to 53 players by 6 pm ET on August 30. That gives Bishop three weeks, which will include three exhibition games, to leave an impression.
Bishop could make his Bears debut versus the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, August 15. In two regular season games against the Browns with the Steelers, the defensive back had eight combined tackles and one pass defense.
If Bishop makes Chicago’s roster, he won’t see the Steelers this fall. The two teams will not face each other during the regular season.
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