Getty Bears head coach Matt Eberflus.
The Chicago Bears will need to find another reserve tight end for their practice squad after losing one to the Houston Texans in a roster move on October 8.
According to NFL insider Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, the Texans signed tight end Teagan Quitoriano off the Bears’ practice squad and to their 53-man active roster on Tuesday. The move creates another opening on the Bears’ 16-man practice squad.
The Texans needed more depth behind starter Dalton Schultz and rookie Cade Stover with Brevin Jordan stuck on the injured reserve list. Now, Quitorinoa will become the No. 3 option for their offense — at least until Jordan is eligible to return to the roster.
Quitoriano — a 2022 fifth-round pick — spent the previous two seasons with the Texans and caught nine passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns, but the team waived him with an injury designation before the start of the 2024 regular season. The Bears then signed Quitoriano to their practice squad in Week 3 to bolster their positional depth.
The Bears have lost two reserve options at the tight end position over the past several weeks. Originally, Stephen Carlson had served as their No. 4 tight end on their practice squad, but the team promoted him to the active roster when it signed Quitoriano on September 24. Four days later, though, Carlson suffered a collarbone injury in practice and landed on the team’s injured reserve list, bumping Quitoriano into the No. 4 role.
The Bears now have two open spots on their practice squad after losing Quitoriano to the Texans. They also opened up a spot when they signed veteran defensive lineman Byron Cowart from the practice squad to their 53-man roster on Saturday, October 5.
No Reason for Bears to Rush Replacing Teagan Quitoriano
The Bears could still look to add another tight end to their practice squad in the coming days to replace Quitoriano, but they will not have any reason to rush a new signing after striking a better balance with their tight ends in recent weeks on offense.
The Bears looked a little lost at the tight end position during the first two weeks of the 2024 regular season. For some reason, new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron put more of an emphasis on getting the ball to veteran free agent signing Gerald Everett instead of star Cole Kmet, who was targetted just six times in the year’s first two games. Marcedes Lewis also committed a few penalties that put the offense in bad positions.
In Week 3, though, the Bears seemed to correct their issues. Kmet once again became a focal point in the offense, making 10 receptions — tied for a career-high — and finishing with the second-most receiving yards (96) of his career as the Bears dropped a close one to the Indianapolis Colts. While Kmet was not as heavily featured in the subsequent two games, he still recorded six catches for 91 yards on seven targets in those matchups.
The Bears have also increased Kmet’s involvement without letting Everett or Lewis fall by the wayside. After early struggles, Lewis has returned more to his reliable self as a run- and pass-blocker over the past two games. Everett also re-emerged as a passing target against the Carolina Panthers in Week 5, catching two passes for 22 yards.
The Bears might still want to add depth and an injury safeguard at the position. But with their bye week approaching in Week 7, they can take their time finding a fit.
Bears Already in London Prepping for Jaguars Game
It is not unusual for teams to make routine roster moves throughout the week as they prepare for their next game, but the Bears are less likely to make any moves — such as signing a new tight end to the practice squad — in the immediate future with the team already in London preparing for Week 6’s matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bears officially flew to London on October 7, giving them almost an entire week to adjust to the six-hour time difference before their international kickoff on October 13. Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Monday he experienced the effects of jet lag firsthand when he visited Italy over the summer and decided it would be best to give his team time to “get our clocks right” before taking on the Jaguars.
The Bears (3-2) will kick off against the Jaguars (1-4) at Tottenham-Hotspur Stadium in London at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on October 13.
