See the Bears’ latest roster moves, including practice squad

Posted: Aug 30, 2023 / 06:02 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 30, 2023 / 06:07 PM CDT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears’ 53-player roster was set on Tuesday at 3 p.m. central time, but like most years, it doesn’t stay like that for long.

Thanks to having the top spot in the waiver wire along with a deadline to set another part of their team, general manager Ryan Poles was quite busy on Wednesday.

Here is the Bears initial practice squad for the 2023 season.
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The team has also claimed 2 players:
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– DE Khalid Kareem (Colts)
– DB Quindell Johnson (Rams)
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They’ve reportedly signed WR/KR Trent Taylor, who was with the Bengals the last 2 seasons.
.@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/4bljUhgHxE
— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) August 30, 2023

The team ended up claiming two players on the afternoon – defensive end Khalid Kareem, who was previously with the Colts, and defensive back Quindell Johnson, who was on the Rams.

Yet their biggest move was one they’ve reportedly made in free agency, signing wide receiver and kick returner Trent Taylor. A five-year NFL veteran who played his first three years with the 49ers, Taylor was known mostly for his kick returning the last two seasons with the Bengals.

In Cincinnati, he had 40 punt returns for 392 yards (9.8 per return average) with 33 of those coming in 2022. Matt Ebeflus is in need of a punt returner for the upcoming season so Taylor figures to be a good fit.

A four-year player at Notre Dame who finished with 13 sacks for the Irish, Kareem was a fifth-round pick of the Bengals in 2020 and played 2 1/2 seasons with Cincinnati. He was waived by the Bengals in October 2022 and joined the Colts, where he took part in four games.

In 27 career NFL contests, Kareem has 29 tackles including two for loss, one sack, seven quarterback hits, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

Quindell was a first-team all-AAC at Memphis in 2022 and was with Los Angeles during camp. Now he’s expected to provide some depth for the team at safety.

To make room on the roster so far, the Bears waived defensive back A.J. Thomas and defensive lineman Terrell Lewis.

Meanwhile, the team set their initial practice squad on Wednesday, with some room to add to it before the season opener against the Packers on September 10 at Soldier Field.