Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles gave an update on rookie fifth-round pick Zah Frazier as to whether he will be playing.
Frazier has missed all of training camp due to personal reasons. He was seen returning to the Bears' facilities last week as he is starting to make his way back to the team.
Many thought this was a good sign of him coming back onto the field, but the Bears placed Frazier on the non-football injury list when the team announced the 53-man roster. Poles did state that Frazier will not be playing during the 2025 NFL season.
"He had a situation that presented itself in a category that I would say [is] 'personal,'" Poles said via ESPN's Courtney Cronin. "As we dug into it, tried to help him out, it revealed itself as something that happened before he got here. So, credit to our staff finding the root cause of what he was going through.
Kind of a bummer on the front end, but I think because of everyone's hard work and care here we got him on the right path."
Frazier won't be missing, though, as he will still be attending meetings, lifting weights, and working with medical staff as he shifts his focus to the 2026 season. He last practice back at rookie minicamp in May.
Ryan Poles said rookie CB Zah Frazier will miss the 2025 season. The personal issue he is dealing with is something the Bears discovered after he was drafted and is something that stems from before he got to Chicago. Poles said Frazier will spend time in meetings, the weight…
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 26, 2025
Tough news to hear for Frazier and the Bears
The Bears were hoping to have Frazier as the CB3 or CB4 on the depth for the 2025 season as he slowly works on his development. This time off will allow him to work on the mental aspects of the game and focus on what's going on personally with himself.
As for who will step up on the depth chart, the three backups to watch for are Nahshon Wright , Josh Blackwell , and Nick McCloud. Wright had a solid camp and preseason, but his final appearance against the Kansas City Chiefs was less than desirable for him. Blackwell has been emerging as a guy who could step up in the secondary. McCloud also had a nice camp and preseason for Chicago and will help with depth.
Read more: Ben Johnson staying mum on position battle (but Bears fans already know who won)
Bears fans can only hope Frazier is able to work through his personal issue and know they will support him now and when he steps back onto the field in 2026.