7 recently cut players the Bears should consider adding

Whether it’s another backup quarterback or help at punt returner, here are a few players the Bears should consider adding

The Chicago Bears 2023 initial roster was finally set on Tuesday afternoon as general manager Ryan Poles made the necessary cuts to get the team down to 53 players. It likely won’t stay that way for long, however.

Like the Bears, the rest of the NFL trimmed their rosters down, with hundreds of players hitting the waiver wire, able to be claimed and brought onto a new team. Chicago has top priority, though, meaning they will automatically get any player they put a claim on who passes through waivers.

Poles was busy this time last year, as the Bears claimed a total of seven players at various positions. With top priority, will they match or exceed that number? Given some of the cuts and releases that have been made that include fairly high-profile players, they could be busy. Teams have until 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday to submit claims.

Here are a few names the Bears should consider who have either hit the waiver wire or become free agents within the last couple of days.

10 Browns free agents remain unsigned heading into OTAs

10 members of the 2022 Browns have yet to find a new home in free agency.

The Cleveland Browns dramatically overhauled their defense this offseason. From the hiring of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to the signing of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson to the trade for Za’Darius Smith, the Browns addressed a bleeding issue from a year ago. This means, however, that means players from the 2022 roster have parted ways as well, including the likes of running back Jadeveon Clowney and running back Kareem Hunt.

With OTAs underway as well, both Hunt and Clowney have yet to find a new home in free agency. They are not the only two, however, as there are a total of 10 players from Cleveland’s 2022 roster that remain unsigned as the offseason progresses.

 

Will the Browns re-sign Ronnie Harrison the second year in a row?

Will Ronnie Harrison be back in Cleveland in 2023?

Ronnie Harrison had a productive first season with the Cleveland Browns after they traded for him prior to the 2020 season. However, his last two seasons for the team have not had nearly the return the team hoped for. After re-signing with the team last year he is again an unrestricted free agent and the team isn’t likely to bring him back for a fourth season.

This season for Harrison PFF graded him at a 46 overall and a 45.6 in coverage and he made little impact on the field. When you watched the team he didn’t make many plays that stood out and were just a player for depth. The team is looking at some changes under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Harrison won’t likely be back for the Browns.

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4 Pending free agents the Browns should not re-sign this offseason

Not every pending free agent is worth re-signing.

Not every pending free agent for a team is worth re-signing. And for the Cleveland Browns, a handful of players who have been significant contributors, even as early as a season ago, no longer serve a purpose on the field for the team. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney would be the big name here, especially after his rant to the media, even if he did apologize for his comments.

Who are other names to mention that the Browns should let walk this offseason to gain traction toward a potential compensatory pick? Here are four names the Browns should have little interest in bringing back in 2023.

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Browns snap count observations vs. Ravens: Deion Jones and Jordan Kunaszyk get auditions before free agency

We get snap counts after every game, so what stood from this game against the Ravens?

The Cleveland Browns got to watch football all day on Sunday without any anxiety after defeating the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday evening. Despite gobs of injuries, the Browns found success in all three phases of the game and found a way to advance to 6-8 on the season.

Like we do every week, we take a look at the snap count numbers to see what stands out.

As always, thanks to our friends over at The OBR for providing excellent visuals to accompany the snap count numbers. As the Browns get ready to take on the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Eve, what stood out from Saturday’s snap count numbers, and what may translate over the next three games?

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Stock up, stock down following the Browns’ win over the Ravens

Who stood out in both good and bad ways against the Ravens after the Browns came away victorious?

Now sitting at 6-8 after a win over the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns have the slightest of playoff hopes. Regardless of making the postseason, however, the Browns have won three of their last four, with the ability to stack three more wins down the stretch.

For the first time all season, the Browns played 60 minutes of complimentary football, getting contributions from all three phases of the game.

Who stood out in this game in both good and bad ways? Here we take a look at whose stock is on the rise, and whose needs a rebound as the Browns take on the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Eve.

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Browns’ top 10 defensive players in Week 13, per PFF

Who were the highest-graded defensive players for the Cleveland Browns against the Houston Texans this week?

Make it two weeks in a row where an opponent has failed to rush for over 100 yards despite half of them coming on the opening drives. Joe Woods has his Cleveland Browns defense playing a “bend but don’t break” mold of football over this two-game win streak, and he even saw his unit score two touchdowns on the day against the Houston Texans.

With contributions from a variety of unexpected players, the Browns were able to limit the Texans to just 14 points, with half of them coming in garbage time. Looking purely at PFF grades, who were the top ten defensive players for the Browns this past Sunday?

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Browns missing laundry list of players from Wednesday’s practice

The list of players missing from practice today is not short.

As the Cleveland Browns try to get back on the right track this weekend at FirstEnergy Stadium, they were missing a plethora of players from Wednesday’s practice. While defensive ends Jadaveon Clowney and Myles Garrett, as well as wide receiver Amari Cooper and right guard Joel Bitonio all sat out with a scheduled rest day, they were also missing five other players.

Cornerback Greg Newsome and safety D’Anthony Bell are still working through the concussion protocol, now starting center Hjalte Froholdt and safety Ronnie Harrison were out with an illness, and tight end David Njoku is still nursing his ankle. Wyatt Teller, Jedrick Wills, and Perrion Winfrey were all limited as well.

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Browns missing 5 players from practice on Wednesday

The Browns are missing five players from practice on Wednesday

As the Cleveland Browns prepare for the New England Patriots, the continue to get players back on their roster. Linebacker Deion Jones has been designated for return, Greedy Williams might be back, and they have a short list of players missing from practice.

As we hit the mid-week mark, the point where injury reports begin to drop, the Browns are only missing five players from practice. With plenty of time to return to the practice field, the Browns are without wide receiver Amari Cooper, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, guard Joel Bitonio, cornerback Denzel Ward, and safety Ronnie Harrison.

Only one of these players, however, has a lingering worry as Ward remains in the concussion protocol after leaving the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Otherwise, the other players have had scheduled rests or are in a situation where rest makes sense. Harrison is not practicing with an illness, but that is not expected to be game-threatening either.

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Browns injury updates: 1 significant injury, 4 encouraging reports Sunday

The day after the Bears game came five injury updates, thankfully four were positive:

The Cleveland Browns lost their last two preseason games by two points combined. As has always been noted, staying healthy in the games are always the highest priority.

Against the Chicago Bears, safety Grant Delpit and guard Wyatt Teller went down with injuries among the team’s starters. DE Chris Odom, fighting for a roster spot, also left the game due to injury.

Cleveland also had a few players that have sat out games due to injury concerns throughout preseason including CB A.J. Green and S Ronnie Harrison who didn’t play during the game against the Bears.

With Week 1 now two weeks away, the Browns have to cut their roster down to the initial 53-man and get as healthy as possible. Sunday, HC Kevin Stefanski provided some injury updates: