Chicago Bears tight end Stephen Carlson jogs onto the field before an NFL preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs last Thursday in Kansas City, Mo.
AP Photo
Stephen Carlson suggested to the OBSERVER several weeks ago that he was “on the bubble” to make Chicago’s final roster.
Unfortunately for the Jamestown native, that figurative bubble burst Tuesday afternoon when the Bears opted to release him in order to reach the 53-man limit.
One of six tight ends on the depth chart entering training camp, Carlson, who began his career in 2019 as an undrafted free agent with Cleveland, said earlier this month that Chicago’s coaching staff “wants to keep me around, so we’ll see if I can squeeze on the roster.”
As it turned out, that didn’t happen, but that doesn’t mean that the 2015 Jamestown High School and 2019 Princeton University graduate won’t remain in the Windy City.
According to the Bears’ website, the team can establish a 16-man practice squad, with six of those players having unlimited NFL experience. NFL clubs typically stock their practice squads with players they have waived during final cuts, so several of the players trimmed from Chicago’s roster Tuesday could be re-signed to the practice squad.
Carlson, who spent most of last season on Chicago’s practice squad — he was on the active roster for two games — is reportedly a strong candidate to land there again.
“This season I haven’t been worrying about it too much,” he told The Post-Journal. “I’m just trying to stay healthy and doing my thing, and I think it’s worked well for me so far. … I know what to do and I get the job done. I don’t know if there’s much more that they need to see out of me. Obviously, I always want to keep making plays. That’s what I’ve been trying to do with the opportunities I’ve had.”
The tight ends who made the final cut in anticipation of the Bears’ season opener Sept. 8 at home against Tennessee are Cole Kmet, Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis.
The practice squad is expected to be announced today.