5 players the Bears should claim off waivers

The 2025 Chicago Bears' initial 53-man roster has been set following Tuesday's cutdown deadline. The Bears and the rest of the league needed to trim their 90-man rosters following the conclusion of the preseason, as more than 1,000 players were either placed on waivers or outright released.

While the Bears have their roster in place, it doesn't mean the action is over. Teams have until 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday to submit a claim on a player who was placed on waivers, while they can sign any of the players who were released at any point.

General manager Ryan Poles was active with waiver claims early in his tenure but didn't target any players last year following the cutdown period. He opted to add through trades, acquiring defensive linemen Darrell Taylor from the Seattle Seahawks and Chris Williams from the Cleveland Browns. With injuries at certain positions and a new coaching staff, though, Poles could be more active this year.

The Bears aren't guaranteed anyone as they sit at No. 10 in the waiver order. That doesn't mean they shouldn't try and land some available players. Here are five names worth targeting before Wednesday's deadline:

1. RB Audric Estime

Last year, it seemed running back Audric Estime was on the verge of becoming an impact player for the Denver Broncos as a fifth-round rookie. He won't get the chance to build on the flashes he displayed after getting cut. Estime fell behind JK Dobbins and rookie RJ Harvey, becoming expendable. With the Bears having a thin running back room that is also banged up, Estime could carve out a role relatively quickly. He's a solid downhill runner with good pass-blocking skills, having rushed for 310 yards on 76 carries with two touchdowns. It doesn't feel like the Bears are done at running back with just D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Kyle Monangai on the roster.

2. DE Isaiah Foskey

Quite a few former high draft picks found themselves hitting waivers on Tuesday, including defensive end Isaiah Foskey. The 2023 second-round pick out of Notre Dame was an impressive prospect but has yet to make a lasting impact in the NFL. Through two seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Foskey played in 27 games and totaled a grand total of zero sacks and zero tackles for loss. He was a disaster for the Saints, but he's an athletic freak who is still just a few years removed from a decorated career at Notre Dame. Defensive end isn't a strong position for the Bears, and taking a chance on Foskey is a low-risk, moderate-reward move. Perhaps defensive coordinator Dennis Allen pushes for his former player.

3. RB Damien Martinez

Seventh-round rookies getting waived isn't the most surprising news, but not many saw the Seattle Seahawks waiving running back Damien Martinez. The big back out of Miami (FL) rushed 24 times for 84 yards in three preseason games, though 74 of those yards came over the last two games. Martinez came off the board 10 picks before the Bears selected Monangai, so it's possible he was a target in the seventh round. Both players had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in college and have a punishing running style. The Bears seem to really like Monangai, but it makes sense to add another bigger body to the running back room.

4. CB Beanie Bishop

The Pittsburgh Steelers added big names to their secondary, which pushed players like Beanie Bishop out of the picture. An undrafted free agent in 2024 out of West Virginia, Bishop burst onto the scene for the Steelers with four interceptions while playing in all 17 games and starting in four of them. His opposing passer rating was just 59.5, and quarterbacks had a completion percentage of 57.1% when targeting him. Bishop is smaller at 5-foot-9, but he's already proven he can play at a high level. With some questions at cornerback, including injuries to Jaylon Johnson and Josh Blackwell, Bishop would be an interesting add.

5. LB Nick Jackson

One of the more notable standouts from the preseason was Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted rookie Nick Jackson. The former Iowa Hawkeye led the Buccaneers in tackles this preseason with 13 and had two sacks along with one interception. He became a fan favorite in Tampa, earning rave reviews for his play and work ethic. The Bears could use someone like him, especially with injuries at linebacker. TJ Edwards exited Tuesday's practice, and Amen Ogbongbemiga will miss at least the first four games after going on injured reserve. Jackson makes tons of sense in the short term and possibly the long term.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears should claim these players off waivers