Chicago Bears 2021 Practice Squad rules, news, and rumor tracker

Check out the practice squad rules and eligibility right here and keep tabs on all the news and rumors about the Bears!

With the Chicago Bears 53-man roster set for the time being, their next order of business is setting their 16-man practice squad. All the players with less than four years of service in the NFL are going through the waiver wire process, which ends at 11:00 a.m. CT* today, and then at that time the Bears can begin officially inking players to their practice squad.

*It would seem the NFL has the wrong info posted about the waiver claim period, it’s not 3:00 p.m. CT, so things will get ramped up much quicker.

Practice squad players are essentially free agents that can sign with any other team. If another team expresses interest in signing one of the Bears practice squaders, the Bears could offer him an active roster contract, but the decision is still the player’s to make.

If a player is signed away he must remain on the new clubs active roster for at least three weeks, otherwise her reverts back to his original team.

Here are some bullet point rules for this year.

• Two players per week can be promoted to the 53-man roster, thus creating a weekly 55-man roster, then those players will pass back through waivers and go back to the practice squad after the game.
• If a team wants to elevate their practice squad player to the active roster full time, then he’ll need to be signed to the 53-man roster.
• Teams can protect up to four players each week from being signed away.
• There is some additional flexibility with practice squadders in the event some active players go on the reserve/COVID list.

Here are the rules on who is eligible for the practice squad, courtesy on the Sporting News.

Players who do not have an accrued season of NFL experience (rookies)

Players who were on the active list for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s)

Up to four players per team who have earned no more than two accrued seasons (no game limitations)

Up to six players per team with no limitations as to their number of earned accrued seasons

Chicago Bears Practice Squad news and rumor tracker

• Brad Biggs is also reporting that K Brian Johnson, WR Isaiah Coulter, and OLB Sam Kamara are all back to the practice squad.
• Bears expected to sign RB Artavis Pierce to their practice squad. (link)
• CB Thomas Graham Jr. expected back for the PS. (link)
• Bears claimed WR/PR Nsimba Webster off waivers. (link)
• Brad Biggs reports that OLB Charles Snowden is heading to their practice squad.
• None of the Bears cuts were claimed on waivers.

We’ll keep the above tracker updated as news trickles in.