The Chicago Bears are signing three new defensive backs to their roster to help counter the injuries that have plagued their secondary in 2025 training camp.
According to The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, the Bears are expected to sign safety Mark Perry and cornerbacks Mekhi Garner and Kaleb Hayes to their 90-man roster after hosting the three of them and five other defensive backs Monday for tryouts.
Garner, a 2023 undrafted signing for the Philadelphia Eagles, is the only of the three soon-to-be-new Bears defensive backs who has played regular-season snaps in the NFL. He played 27 defensive snaps and 45 special-teams snaps in three games for the Eagles as a rookie, but he did not record any statistics and has not played another snap since.
The Bears also included cornerbacks Kalon Barnes and Keni-H Lovely and safeties Millard Bradford, Benny Sapp III and Jason Taylor in Monday’s tryout group.
The Bears have not yet announced any of the three signings, but they will need to make corresponding roster moves to create space whenever they do announce the signings.
Bears’ Secondary Depth Has Thinned Due to Injuries
Injuries have battered the Bears secondary over the first three weeks of camp. Jaylon Johnson, the team’s No. 1 cornerback, has not practiced since the spring and continues to work back from an offseason leg injury that has put his Week 1 status in jeopardy.
The Bears also did not have Kyler Gordon (hamstring), Nick McCloud (unspecified), Ameer Speed (waived/injured on Monday) or rookie Zah Frazier (personal) available for their cornerback room in Sunday’s preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. Additionally, Terell Smith left the game with a groin injury, but his status is unknown.
As Biggs pointed out, though, the Bears’ expected signings are more likely about adding depth to an injury-plagued room than preparing to lose players to long-term injuries.
“If the Bears were dealing with more significant injuries in the secondary, it’s likely they would have looked at more experienced players,” Biggs wrote Monday night. “They have good depth in the defensive backfield when healthy.”
Nahshon Wright’s Roster Case Only Getting Stronger
One silver lining for the Bears secondary is that Nahshon Wright — a second-stage free-agent signing in April — has taken advantage of every extra rep that has come his way.
After impressing early in camp, Wright has put himself squarely in the running to win a starting job as the No. 2 outside cornerback opposite Johnson during the 2025 season. He remains engaged in a position battle with Tyrique Stevenson, a 2023 second-round pick who has held down the role for the past two seasons, but a strong finish to camp should earn him a spot in the rotation even if Stevenson manages to hold his ground.
Wright also has a prior connection to new Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris, who coached him during his first three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 2021 to 2023.
If Wright makes the roster, though, which cornerback will miss the cut?
Johnson, Gordon and Stevenson are virtual locks to make the Bears’ 53-man roster for the 2025 season, while backup slot cornerback Josh Blackwell — who signed a two-year extension in the spring — is also likely to earn a roster spot. That leaves Smith, Wright and the rookie Frazier left to fight for what could be just two more spots in the rotation.
The Bears must reduce their roster to the 53-man roster limit before the NFL deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 26.
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