Bears add Bill Murray, edge rusher to practice team |
Someone should have told Ryan Poles that your 53-man roster needed to be set a few days ago because all he has done since is look to add to this team. You have to applaud his aggressiveness, however, as he gives the impression that he will never be satisfied and wants to add pieces until the end. That is a pleasant change of pace from what Ryan Pace brought to the table as the Bears new front office is starting to build trust in the fans by the day.
Thursday morning was another day of additions as the Bears added two surprising moves to the practice squad. Granted, the practice squad is solely a depth play to bring players into your organization that you want to see more closely, but the players the Bears added fit a pair of needs on this team, so who knows what will happen once they start working with the coaches.
No, this isn't the world-famous actor Bill Murray, but sharing a name with one of the greatest comedians of all time is fun to joke about. Looking at the type of player Murray is, it is easy to see why the Bears fell in love with him enough to bring him in, as he was a former defensive tackle in college at William and Mary. Murray went undrafted in 2020 following his college career before landing on the New England Patriots roster. Much like the situation he is in now, Murray spent the first two years on the practice squad and didn't see action in a single preseason game. Then came 2022, when Bill Belichick and his group proposed to convert Murray to an offensive lineman. He agreed to take this proposal head-on, and the rest was history. His ability to be willing to change positions paid off as he finally saw action in a preseason game the past two years and has shown noticeable progress as a player every season. What stands out about Murray is his athleticism, as he is a great athlete. He also plays with a physical demeanor that many of the Bears players lack, but it is a trait the Bears love to have in their organization. The #Bears are signing Bill Murray to their practice squad, per source.
Another area of need for this team, especially with the loss of Trevis Gipson, is the Edge rush position, as the Bears still need more pass-rushing depth. Adding Alexandre to the practice could pay off in the long run, as the Bears will work with him and see what he can do in their defensive scheme. Unlike the Murray addition, you can understand why the Bears brought Alexandre in, as they made him one of their 30 pre-draft visits this offseason. They then tried to get the former Pittsburgh DE to sign with them as an undrafted free agent, only to have him sign with the Jets instead. You can understand why he wanted to sign with the Jets, but he didn't have much of a shot to make that team when you look at how stacked that entire defensive roster is from top to bottom. Even with that, Alexandre showed plenty of flashes throughout the preseason as he racked up five pressures, five run stops, and a sack in three preseason games. Although not the biggest player, he is your typical DE that Matt Eberflus has loved to work with, checking in at 6-4 and 264 pounds. With that comes 34-inch arms and some tremendous upper body strength, which allows him to attack the offensive linemen much more easily. He has shown that if he can get a great jump off the snap, he is a problem to block, which could work in the Bears favor. Given his potential, it is hard to believe that he went undrafted, but one of his most significant issues is his tough time being coached. Some have even gone as far as saying he is uncoachable. He also has some technique flaws that need work, but when you rack up 29. 5 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks in college, the play speaks for itself. Both of these pickups follow the pattern Poles has been laying out the past few days as they are good athletes with high character. They also play with intensity and have that mentality that they will play until the final whistle. Bill Murray
After three years in New England, Murray — the former William & Mary lineman — now heads to Chicago. pic.twitter.com/vXPpsxBBKPDeslin Alexandre (EDGE)
