Chicago Bears Threw An Unexpected Wrinkle Onto New Practice Squad

The Chicago Bears‘ practice squad came together quickly after final cuts. That is largely because the majority of the names involved were guys they had just released. Multiple key names like quarterback Austin Reed, cornerback Reddy Steward, wide receiver Collin Johnson, and linebacker Micah Baskerville made it on. However, the team appears to have thrown a late curveball into the mix. News dropped yesterday that former Packers receiver and former Patriots defensive tackle Sam Roberts was also joining the squad.

As it turns out, there was another name that went unreported until 24 hours later.

Chicago also added veteran offensive lineman Chris Glaser. The former undrafted free agent out of Virginia entered the league with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and then went to the New York Jets, where he spent the past two seasons. He got his first playing time last year, allowing only two pressures in 51 snaps despite having to shift between center and right guard. His versatility is undoubtedly a big reason the Bears chose to bring him onto the practice squad.

Glaser is an interesting project for the Chicago Bears.

He isn’t highly regarded as an athlete, but he moves well enough. His best traits include good power in the run game and a finisher mentality. His nasty disposition shows up a lot. He’s also disciplined with his hands, rarely making any notable errors. Glaser played all five offensive line positions in college, serving as a sort of Swiss Army knife. There is nothing flashy about his game. Still, he tends to get the job done when asked. He was dependable throughout an extensive preseason workload in New York this month.

This move isn’t a surprise by the Chicago Bears. There were lingering concerns about the depth of their interior offensive line. Both Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis struggle to stay healthy. Ryan Bates is nursing a shoulder injury. It makes sense they’d target somebody who can pick things up quickly and knows how to play multiple spots in a pinch. Glaser is exactly that type of player. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan should be good for him.