Bear Digest

Bears Pad Pass Rush and Backfield with Roster Moves

Travis Homer and Jake Martin have been removed from injured reserve and are eligible to play Sunday, and the Bears also announced a few other Saturday personnel decisions.

Gene Chamberlain

Travis Homer makes a cut and heads upfield against Kansas City in preseason. Homer is now off IR.
Travis Homer makes a cut and heads upfield against Kansas City in preseason. Homer is now off IR. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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The Bears are thinking pass rush against the Washington Commanders, it would seem.

They have activated edge rusher Jacob Martin from injured reserve, along with special teams and third-down back Travis Homer, while making a few other moves.

Martin went out the first day of training camp with a toe injury and had his 21-day window opened to be brought back on Oct. 9. Martin is in his eighth season and almost always has been a situational, speed rusher off the edge. He has started just 15 of his 91 games and has 18 career sacks, 32 QB hits and 57 pressures. He played in every game last year for Indianapolis, producing two sacks and four pressures for 191 defensive plays.

It might mean the Bears do not have Daniel Hardy or Austin Booker active for the game as they would already have starters Montez Sweat and DeMarcus Walker, as well as Darrell Taylor available along with Martin. Facing Washington's athletic quarterbacks, as much speed as they could muster up front might be beneficial.

Homer's availability will inevitably lead to some speculation about whether Khalil Herbert might be traded, although the two have  been totally different types of backs. Homer is a receiving threat and good pass blocker while Herbert is by far the better ball carrier. Homer has 86 career carries for six NFL seasons and averages 5.5 yards a carry. He has 52 receptions for 464 yards.

The other Bears move was to promote safety Tarvarius Moore to the 53-man roster from the practice squad through standard elevation.

They also announced reserve tackle Larry Borom will not come off of injured reserve at this time. Borom, coming off an ankle injury, was ruled out. The 21-day practice window just opened for Borom this week, as it did for Homer.

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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.