Bears add defensive back Dallis Flowers, release Tre Flowers |
Dustin Riese
· · 6 hours ago
Although week one is officially over for the Chicago Bears and the regular season has officially begun, don't expect Ryan Poles to forget about this roster completely. As great a job as he has done rebuilding the team, there are still some holes that he would like to fill at some point, as Chicago will continue to add players as needed.
You also have a slew of injuries going on in camp right now, as Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon both missed week one with soft tissue injuries, putting the Bears' depth at cornerback in question. For the most part, the Bears were able to overcome those injuries on Monday, as Minnesota didn't pass the ball well until the fourth quarter. However, if Johnson and Gordon remain out for an extended period, there could be some significant issues. Knowing the injuries this team currently has, the Chicago Bears have decided to add depth to their organization by signing defensive back Dallis Flowers to their practice squad, along with several other players who worked out over the weekend. The 28-year-old Flowers made his NFL debut with the Colts in 2022 and has appeared in 23 games since. During those games, Flowers has come away with 38 tackles (30 solo) as a special teams player while also forcing two fumbles and recovering one. That would be the role he would take on in Chicago, as he is being brought in as a camp body to help with the injury-riddled secondary. While Flowers may be the only official signing from the weekend, the Bears did have upwards of 10 players working out over the weekend, with the most notable name being Veteran offensive lineman Zach Banner. Nicknamed the Hulk for a reason, Banner stands at a massive 6-8 and weighs 358 pounds, making him a gigantic human being. Banner has also appeared in 30 games since being selected as a fourth-round pick in 2017, but the now 31-year-old hasn't seen an NFL snap since 2021, as he has had several comeback attempts fall by the wayside. Banner did, however, spend some time with the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL last season, so at the very least, he is doing his best to stay in football shape with the hope of making an NFL roster. The question now becomes: Will the Bears give him an opportunity, considering the number of bodies they currently have on their offensive line? Some of the other players Chicago spent time working out were Centers Wesley French and Trey Hill, as both could be seen as veteran depth pieces. French is a 6-5, 307-pound Center who has three games of NFL experience under his belt, having joined the Colts in 2023. Meanwhile, Hill logged 25 games across three seasons with the Bengals. Going beyond the offensive line, Deantre Prince and AJ Woods were added to the workout list among the defensive backs, as Chicago knows this is an area of concern, particularly in terms of injuries. Prince was a fifth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars last season and logged eight tackles in 10 games. Woods, on the other hand, was an undrafted pickup by the Eagles last season and has bounced around several practice squads since then. Staying with the defense, it does appear that Poles is looking to potentially upgrade the linebacker depth, which is why Curtis Jacobs and Alex Johnson were brought in for workouts. Another undrafted player, Jacobs, the former Penn State linebacker, joined the Patriots in 2024 and appeared in nine games, accumulating four tackles. Johnson, on the other hand, was an undrafted free agent pickup by the Colts and has yet to step on an NFL field. Neither of these guys is seen as an impact player, but it's nice to have all these extra bodies coming in. Of all the names the Bears worked out, Isaiah Foskey has the most potential, as the former second-round pick for the New Orleans Saints has spent time with Dennis Allen in the past. Should the Bears add him, it would be on a bigger deal than just a practice squad signing, as he would have the ability to make an impact. Along with Foskey comes Myles Cole, as those were the two Edge rush players brought in for workouts. At 6-6 and 278 pounds, Cole has plenty of size to be an Edge rusher in this league, but hasn't performed well enough with the chances given to earn an opportunity. He made eight tackles with the Jaguars last season, but that was it; he is hoping the Bears will give him that shot. The last of the players working out at Halas Hall over the weekend was tight end Hayden Harris, who is another undrafted option. Updates: Of this list, only Flowers has been added to the roster, while Foskey has been added to the Bengals roster to join his former College Defensive Coordinator.
