Bear Digest

Bears Add Speed and Darrynton Evans to Plug Roster Holes

Former Bears back Darrynton Evans is back with the Bears practice squad while Ameer Speed has been promoted to the 53-man roster due to injuries in the secondary.

Gene Chamberlain

Darrynton Evans picks up yardage against Carolina at Soldier Field in a game last season. Evans has returned for Bears stint No. 3.
Darrynton Evans picks up yardage against Carolina at Soldier Field in a game last season. Evans has returned for Bears stint No. 3. / Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
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The Bears added to their depth at cornerback while bringing back a very familiar face.

Cornerback Ameer Speed has been signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. They have also signed running back Darrynton Evans to his third go-around following Tuesday's trade of Khalil Herbert to Cincinnati for a seventh-round draft pick.

Speed's presence on the roster could be necessary because of the injuries backups Terell Smith and Jaylon Jones are battling. Jones has a shoulder injury and Smith an ankle injury. Jones didn't practice Wednesday and Smith practiced only on a limited basis.

Speed, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound cornerback, was in one game this season already for the Bears after playing eight games last year for the Colts and five for the Patriots in his first NFL season. Essentially, this week becomes a chance for Speed to face his old team. Speed has made nine career tackles.

Evans made 44 carries for 169 yards and one touchdown for the Bears in stints with the team in 2022 and 2023.He has caught eight passes for 82 yards for them. Evans was with the Colts and waived after his contract in Chicago expired after the 2022 season. Then Buffalo had him until the start of the 2023 regular season. He had his contract with Miami's practice squad terminator and signed with the Bears prior to their 40-20 win over Washington.

He was added to be available behind D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer.

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He made two carries for 16 yards in two games for Miami last year after the Bears waived him Nov. 16, signed again in the offseason with Buffalo and was released Oct. 29 before signing with the Bears.

Evans will need to learn the offense before he can contribute because both of his other Bears stints were with Luke Getsy's offense.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.