Final cuts have gone through around the NFL. Teams, including the Chicago Bears, have whittled down their rosters from 90 players to 53 before the 3:00 CST deadline on Tuesday. Next comes the more interesting part of the process. How many of those players will be scooped up on the waiver wire within the next 24 hours? GM Ryan Poles has been active the past two years during this part of the off-season. While the Bears may not have the same pressing needs for roster depth as last season, there is still a chance he and head coach Matt Eberflus may spot a player or two they like.
After reviewing the massive number of names that became available, here are a few the Bears might be interested in.
OL Josh Ball
The interior offensive line situation for the Bears is uncertain with Ryan Bates injured. They also don’t have clarity at backup offensive tackle. Ball can help solve both problems since he has experience playing tackle and guard. The 2024 preseason was easily the best of his career. In 88 combined snaps at right and left guard, he allowed only two pressures on the quarterback. Pro Football Focus also gave him a respectable 79.3 grade for his run blocking. Chicago loves big athletes. Ball is 6’8, 304 lbs, with 35-inch arms.
C Ricky Stromberg
The former 3rd round pick was a standout center at Arkansas. He’s a great athlete and can play in any scheme. Unfortunately, he ran into a few problems in Washington. One was the complete overhaul of the coaching staff and front office, making his status on the roster uncertain. It didn’t help they also kept experimenting with him at both guard spots rather than keeping him at center. Even so, he gave up six pressures and no sacks over 165 snaps. He could give the Bears some quality depth along the interior and might become a long-term option at center.
The former second-round pick never found any traction on offense in Seattle, but he did showcase some talents in the return game, most of which was as a kick returner. That could expand after an impressive 79-yard punt return in the preseason. The Chicago Bears sorely need help in that area. Right now their best option is DeAndre Carter, and he didn’t look too good. Eskridge has ties to offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Perhaps they will see him as a talented backup who can help in a problematic area on special teams.
EDGE Andre Carter II
The general consensus was that Carter lacked polish and hadn’t yet developed his body as a pass rusher, which is why he went undrafted. Yet his size and length, along with the flashes he showed at Army, showed a player with untapped potential. For whatever reason, the Vikings didn’t feel like exploring it any further despite a promising preseason in which he had nine pressures and two sacks in his final two appearances. If the Chicago Bears want an alternative to develop besides Dominique Robinson, they should go after Carter. At least he shows flashes.
