Bear Digest

Bears Cut Running Back After Signing Defensive Tackle

Former Texas Tech nose tackle Jaylon Hutchings signed with the Bears, who appear to be down in numbers in the middle of the line due to injuries.

Gene Chamberlain

Jaylon Hutchings of Texas Tech played in six college seasons and reportedly has signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bears.
Jaylon Hutchings of Texas Tech played in six college seasons and reportedly has signed as an undrafted free agent with the Bears. / Aaron E. Martinez / American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Bears have decided to add a lineman but it's not an edge rusher and isn't another guard on offense.

They announced the signing of undrafted free agent defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings. At the same time, they cut running back Demetric Felton, who had been with the team less thant wo weeks.

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A 6-foot, 305-pound defensive tackle from Texas Tech, Hutchings is a potential 3-technique or nose tackle candidate after six seasons and 11 sacks at the Big 12 school. He had 26 tackles for loss, all f them in his final five seasons. He also forced two fumbles and recovered one. In his final college season, he had eight tackles for loss and 3 1/2 sacks.

He made 193 total tackles at Texas Tech but was undrafted. At Texas Tech, he spent most of his time playing nose tackle. Hutchings established a record for reliability. Hutchings went almost his whole career avoiding injury serious enough to keep him on the sidelines.

Hutchings' 2023 season was cut short by a game due to a torn meniscus that reportedly required he have arthroscopic surgery. The injury ended his streak of 57 straight starts and he missed the team's Independence Bowl game.


Felton had four runs for 13 yards and made two catches for 10 yards.

The Bears did not have veteran backup defensive tackle Byron Cowart available Saturday for the game with Houston due to an injury. Cowart had been working along with players in the rehab area at practice last week.

Another player who did not play in the game was former Illinois defensive lineman Keith Randolph. He hadn't been absent from practice with an injury and his status is unknown.

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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.