The Chicago Bears have confirmed the worst for cornerback Terell Smith in yet another blow to their roster depth ahead of next week’s NFL roster cutdown.
Before Wednesday’s practice, Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters that Smith will miss the entire 2025 season with the non-contact knee injury that got him carted off the field in the second quarter of Sunday’s preseason victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Smith had collapsed without contact during the second quarter of Sunday’s game when he stopped at the top of a route to defend against a pass to Bills wide receiver Kristian Wilkerson. According to The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee during the sequence and will expectedly “undergo surgery soon.”
“We alluded to [him] possibly having something serious, and it turns out that’s going to be the case,” Johnson said Wednesday. “He’s going to be out for the season with his injury. We’re all rallying around him here and supporting him as he’s getting healthy.”
The Bears also placed Smith on the season-ending injured reserve list on Wednesday in a slew of roster moves that also included signing veteran running back Royce Freeman.
Who Will Claim Terell Smith’s Spot in CB Rotation?
With Smith out of the mix, the Bears should have at least one roster spot up for grabs in the final week of the preseason as they look to solidify their 2025 cornerback rotation.
Tyrique Stevenson and Nahshon Wright are both essentially locks to make the 53-man roster after distinguishing themselves in their camp-long battle for the No. 2 perimeter role opposite two-time All-Pro Jaylon Johnson. Josh Blackwell, the team’s top backup in the slot, is also likely to make the team after signing a two-year extension in March.
Behind them, though, the race is still wide open for the sixth roster spot. Veteran Nick McCloud might have the best odds to win the spot, given his experience and solid camp, but undrafted rookie Jeremiah Walker remains in active pursuit of a depth role, too.
The Bears also have fifth-round rookie Zah Frazier to consider for a roster spot, but he has missed all of camp for personal reasons that, until more clearly defined, suggest he is not currently part of the team’s plans at the position. They might even waive him at the roster cutdown deadline if they feel they can get him back on the practice squad.
The Bears must reduce their roster to the 53-man limit before 4 p.m. ET next Tuesday.
Terell Smith Should Get Another Opportunity in 2026
Smith might be done for the 2025 season, but he should get another opportunity to win a roster spot with the Bears during the 2026 offseason — given his rookie contract.
Smith will carry a cap charge of roughly $1.2 million in 2026 during the final season of his four-year rookie deal with the Bears. While the team will naturally have questions about whether he can effectively bounce back from his significant knee injury, his ultra-low cost makes him well worth keeping around to compete again in next year’s camp.
The Bears will also have Stevenson, a 2023 second-round pick, entering a contract year in 2026. He can put himself in a good position to earn an extension with the team if he progresses as a perimeter starter in the forthcoming season, but he can also sabotage his efforts if he makes more hot-headed judgment errors in 2025, as he did last year.
The point being, while Smith will spend the coming months focused on his recovery, the door could be wide open to win a meaningful role with the Bears when he returns.
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