Tracking the path to 53 players
Bears Wire • • sports
Key Points:
- The Chicago Bears must reduce their roster from 90 to 53 players by Sunday at 5 p.m. CT, with only one cutdown day this year instead of gradual preseason cuts.
- The Bears traded defensive tackle Gervon Dexter to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a fifth-round draft pick, adding depth to their secondary.
- Clark Phillips III, primarily an outside cornerback, joins the Bears amid injuries in their secondary, while Dexter reunites with former Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, now Falcons GM.
- The Bears will finalize their 53-man roster but may still make additional cuts or trades before Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers.
- Chicago holds the 25th position in the waiver order, which follows the original 2026 NFL Draft order through Week 3.
