Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles already got to work on the roster as six players were released and cornerback Terell Smith was placed on the injured reserve list.
That means with over 80 players still on the roster, Poles has to get that trimmed down to 53 by Tuesday. There is much work still needing to be done on the Bears side.
Poles has some obvious moves he needs to make to get this process moving along with good players they might want to move on quickly so they can get him on the practice squad for 2025.
Tre Flowers, CB
Flowers has the length, size, and experience the Bears needed during the preseason to help them navigate the injuries in their secondary. He finished the preseason with six tackles. After a less-than-stellar game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he might have played out of a roster spot, but in a deep cornerback room, he might not have had a chance. He's still good enough to be considered for the practice squad.
Austin Reed, QB
Reed didn't get as much time on the field as the other quarterbacks, but he still played well when he was with the third and fourth string guys. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 107 yards. There wasn't really much hope for Reed to make the 53-man roster, but he makes for a good developmental player for head coach Ben Johnson to have to eventually be QB3.
JP Richardson, WR
Richardson got off to a fast start in training camp with a lot of buzz around him. Outside of a nice 22-yard punt return, he never really showed it in the preseason compared to other receivers. He ended up with four catches for 28 yards on offense. The good part is he's young, and some time on the practice squad would help him out.
Joel Wilson, TE
Wilson is a guy Poles should hope doesn't completely walk out the door, as he had a stellar preseason. He led the Bears in catches with 11 and added 85 yards and one touchdown in three preseason games. This is a talented tight end who should be able to find his way onto the practice squad, but there is too much talent at the position to keep him on the 53-man roster.
Read more: Bears easiest cut after preseason catastrophe against Chiefs is crystal clear
Power Echols, LB
Echols was apart of a linebacker room who overall had a really good preseason. He racked up six tackles in three matchups. He's got good instincts to finding the ball carrier, but similar to Wilson, just getting caught up in a deep position. Another great candidate for the practice squad.