Bear Digest

Report: Bears Training Camp Favorite Returning to Add Depth

Plagued by injuries at safety, the Bears brought in a handful of players for workouts and an NFL Network report says Adrian Colbert will return to the team.

Gene Chamberlain

Adrian Colbert (25) tries to bring down Chiefs back Carson Steele during a preseason game this year.
Adrian Colbert (25) tries to bring down Chiefs back Carson Steele during a preseason game this year. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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Offensive line and safety seem to be Bears injury problem areas this year.

As the line is starting to get healthy, though, they're hurting worse than ever at safety.

The Bears could be down two safeties this week because Jaquan Brisker is on injured reserve with a concussion and backup Elijah Hicks suffered an ankle injury in the loss to Green Bay. Hicks has started five games this season after starting eight his first two seasons as a backup, but he missed seven plays Sunday due to his injury and more on his status will be known later in the week.

Reserve safety Tarvarius Moore played in Sunday's game, as well, but was coming off of a concussion of his own.

The Bears do have safety JT Woods, still, on the practice squad. However, they're padding the position and their choice is an interesting one considering the quality of candidates.

There's no guarantee Brisker is coming back this season. He went on IR last week and must be on it at least four games.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported they'll bring back safety Adrian Colbert, who was with the regular roster and practice squad throughout 2022 and 2023.

Brad Biggs of the Tribune reported an array of safeties had tryouts with Colbert and Tremaine Edmunds' brother Terrell among them.

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Colbert was with the Bears in 2022 and 2023 with the practice squad and briefly made the regular roster. He was featured prominently in HBO's Hard Knocks during the roster cutdown episode when Ryan Poles had to release him. He knows the defensive system.

Terrell Edmunds has been in the league since 2018 as a Steelers first-round pick. He has played with the Eagles, Titans, Jaguars and again earlier this year with the Steelers. He has six career interceptions in 79 starts.

Others they reportedly brought in for a workout were former Lions third-round pick and starter Tracy Walker, who was not brought back by the Lions this year, then was signed and cut by the 49ers. He has 43 starts and three interceptions. Johnathan Abram, a Raiders first-round pick, was also on the list of those who worked out, as was Rams 2023 seventh-round pick Jason Taylor.

Abram was with the Saints this year and was released a month ago. He has been with the Raiders, Packers and Seahawks, as well. Taylor has been in eight NFL games, all last year with the Rams.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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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.