In a potentially telling decision regarding their roster, Ben Johnson, Ryan Poles, and the Chicago Bears are exploring adding Isaiah Bolden to their roster, at least for training camp.
Bolden, 26, is listed at 6-foot-2, and the Bears have had luck with lengthier defensive backs in their recent past. That could make the fit solid for both sides as teams around the league gear up for the 2026 season.
What happens next for Bolden and the Bears remains to be seen.
Bears Show Interest in Former Patriots CB Isaiah Bolden
Isaiah Bolden Workout Appears Telling for Bears
“Corner Isaiah Bolden worked out for Chicago #Bears today, per a league source,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on August 7.
Bolden was a seventh-round pick, selected 245th overall by the New England Patriots in the 2023 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons with the Patriots, appearing in 14 games, all during the 2024 season.
He tallied 10 total tackles and 1 fumble recovery, playing mostly on special teams.
Bolden spent less than one week with the San Francisco 49ers during the 2025 regular season, never seeing the field during a game.
Bears Lose Multiple Players in Training Camp Practice
The Bears saw five players exit practice early on Thursday, headlined by left tackle Braxton Jones and defensive end Montez Sweat, but also including a trio of defensive backs.
Cornerbacks Jaylon Jones–who had been splitting reps at nickelback in place of Kyler Gordon, who is on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list–and Dallis Flowers and safety Gervarrius Owens were all incapable of finishing the session.
Flowers and Owens had to be helped off the field.
Two Bears trainers assisted Flowers off the field, while Owens required a ride on the cart back to Halas Hall.
The Bears lost starting free safety Coby Bryant in a previous session, and they have been without strong safety Elijah Hicks, a starter in the spring, since the offseason program. They moved Cam Lewis from nickel to Bryant’s spot, making Jones’ uncertain status critical.
Reserve corner Terell Smith has also missed multiple sessions.
Bears Thin on Experience
As far as healthy players, the Bears still have starting corners Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson. But they are down to special teams maven Josh Blackwell in terms of experience, pending an update on Jones.
Rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad took over at nickel when Jones departed.
Safety Anthony Johnson is their only other healthy safety with experience. However, the Bears did add UDFA Marlen Sewell this week.
The Bears’ approach appears optimistic based on the state of their roster. Still, Bolden could be a safer bet than banking on a rookie like KC Eziomume or an inexperienced veteran like Dontae Manning.
At the very least, the Bears appear to need more bodies for training camp.
That could require some maneuvering. Moreover, who goes–if anyone–could prove telling about the statuses of some of their injured incumbents.
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