If a cat has nine lives, then former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Zacch Pickens has now used three in his young NFL career.
The New York Giants announced that they have claimed Pickens off waivers and have joined the roster in the Big Apple. Pickens was released by the Kansas City Chiefs after spending less than a year with the team. Kansas City signed him after training camp last year when the Bears made him a part of their final cuts.
Chicago selected Pickens in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, where he struggled in his two seasons with the Bears. In 26 career games as a Bear, he racked up 39 tackles, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass deflection, and one forced fumble
Zacch Pickens might have his final shot at NFL team with Giants signing him
The struggles were real for Pickens in Chicago, as he was never able to build any momentum. He seemed to have hit a wall with his development, and two seasons of poor play were proof of it.
By the time the Bears hired Ben Johnson as head coach and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, it was clear that the new regime was not completely sold on Pickens. Grady Jarrett's signing made it easy for Chicago to see that Pickens was just not going to be a fit for their future at defensive tackle.
To be fair to Pickens, the defensive tackle position struggled for Chicago last season, outside of some great play by Gervon Dexter. With that being said, it should be a clear indication that despite the struggles at the position, the Bears still felt like they were better off without Pickens as a part of the room.
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It's hard not to think that this might be Pickens' last shot at making a 53-man roster as he joins a Giants team that just added D.J. Reader as part of the moves made alongside Pickens. There's no doubt that Pickens is going to have a rough time making the team, as New York is about to find out the lesson Chicago learned quickly about him.
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