Isaiah Coulter Gets His Shot

Bears practice squad receiver promoted after Ihmir Smith-Marsette is waived.

USA Today

The mini-bye week changes have begun to take effect.

The first one on Tuesday from the Bears is waiving wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette while promoting wide receiver Isaiah Coulter from the practice squad.

Smith-Marsette seemed to seal his fate when he dropped a pass in the Thursday night loss to the Washington Commanders with the Bears facing fourth-and-11 at the Washington 48 with 2:28 remaining.

The ball went back to Washington but the Commanders' Joey Slye missed a 48-yard field goal and it gave the Bears one last chance at a victory, one which died on a bobbled catch at the 1-yard line by Darnell Mooney.

During the week before, Smith-Marsette was penalized for holding on Justin Fields' 52-yard scramble for a TD and also lost the ball when stripped from behind by Cameron Dantzler with the Bears at Minnesota's 39 driving for the tying or winning points.

Smith-Marsette was targeted four times in six games with one 15-yard catch, the fateful lost fumble to the Vikings. He had a rushing attempt for a 1-yard loss.

Coulter has been with the Bears since near the end of 2020 training camp, but mostly on the practice squad. He has played in four games and has yet to catch a pass. He was targeted once in a game last year.

Coulter was a fifth-round selection by the Houston Texans in 2020.

The Bear appear to be ready to get wide receiver N'Keal Harry more involved as they play against his former team, the New England Patriots.

The Bears traded the Patriots a seventh-round pick in 2024 for Harry just before training camp but he has been out since early August due to ankle surgery and was activated from injured reserve without be activated for the loss to Washington.

The Bears also have receiver Byron Pringle on injured reserve with a calf injury and it's unknown how long he'll be out. He went on IR Sept. 27 and must be out for four games according to the IR rules passed for this year. The Bears game on Monday night against New England will be the fourth game Pringle misses.

It's possible there will be more lineup or roster moves later but some lineup changes might not be apparent until the Bears face the Patriots.

One other move made was the signing of tight end Sammis Reyes. 

Reyes is the first Chilean player in the NFL. He got in 11 games with one start for the Commanders last year and played on 39 offensive plays and 145 special teams plays. He made two tackles but wasn't targeted as a receiver.'

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