After a woeful Raiders tenure, Alex Leatherwood could have a second probability through the NFL’s waiver system. The Bears put in a claim for the previous first-round decide, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
The Raiders bailed on Leatherwood after one season, marking a stunning free fall for final 12 months’s No. 17 total decide. The Bears, nevertheless, have additionally run into in depth O-line uncertainty. The rebuilding workforce will take an opportunity on the previous Alabama prospect. Leatherwood’s signing bonus is the Raiders’ accountability, leaving appreciable useless cash on Las Vegas’ cap sheet, however the Bears are actually accountable for $5.9M in Leatherwood wage.
Chicago, which modified up its roster significantly because it transitioned to a brand new GM-HC pairing this offseason, made 5 extra waiver claims Wednesday. Defensive deal with Armon Watts, defensive again Josh Blackwell, defensive finish Kingsley Johnathan, linebacker Sterling Weatherford and tight finish Trevin Wesco will probably be en path to the Windy City as nicely, Yates tweets. The Bears’ six waiver claims are a league-high whole this 12 months.
This marks fairly a haul for Chicago, which added former starters from Las Vegas and Minnesota. Watts began 9 video games for the Vikings final season, changing the injured Michael Pierce, however the workforce modified defensive schemes this offseason and made a commerce for former Texans second-round defensive deal with Ross Blacklock on Tuesday. That led Watts off the roster, however he will probably be again in a 4-3 scheme underneath Matt Eberflus, whose workforce cleared some D-tackle house by releasing Mario Edwards on Tuesday.
Viewed as a attain in final 12 months’s first spherical, Leatherwood didn’t justify his draft slot when deployed at proper deal with or proper guard for the Raiders final season. The employees that drafted Leatherwood rapidly moved him off proper deal with, however Pro Football Focus rated him as one of many league’s worst guards. Despite the Raiders going through a couple of questions on their offensive line and dropping Brandon Parker for the season, their new regime lower bait after attempting Leatherwood at deal with once more in coaching camp.
The Bears are anticipated to begin fifth-round rookie Braxton Jones at left deal with, and so they have 2021 fifth-rounder Larry Borom on the proper aspect. Riley Reiff, who signed with the workforce shortly earlier than camp, can also be within the deal with image. The workforce moved 2021 second-rounder Teven Jenkins from deal with to protect late this offseason, and whereas Jenkins appeared in commerce rumors, he’s on the roster and will nicely begin the season on the new place. Leatherwood, his early-career struggles however, might now even be an element at that spot.
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