With one game remaining in the 2025 regular season, the Chicago Bears’ roster is undergoing more changes for their final game of the campaign. They will wrap up the regular campaign at home against the Detroit Lions.
The Bears are turning to a pair of familiar faces to bolster their depth for the contest.
Both Nikola Kalinic and Ty Summers have been in the Bears’ system for some time, which is encouraging should Chicago find itself in a position to rest some of its players down the stretch against the Lions.
Nikola Kalinic, Ty Summers Join Bears Game-Day Roster
Bears Announce Practice Squad Roster Elevations
The Bears announced in a post on X on January 3 that they “elevated TE Nikola Kalinic and LB Ty Summers from the Practice Squad for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions.”
Kalinic is a former undrafted free agent who broke into the league as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. He has also spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams. He has been with the Bears since the end of training camp.
Kalinic has played in one game this season, Week 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The veteran logged all 16 of his snaps in that game on special teams, per Pro Football Reference. He has never caught a pass during a regular-season game in his career.
Summers was the No. 226 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Summers played in five games this season with the Detroit Lions. He has also played for the Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, and New York Giants during his career.
Summers, another special teamer, has 1 total tackle this season, but 90 in his career.
He has appeared in 88 games with three starts, and has also logged 2 pass deflections and 1 fumble recovery.
Lions Elevate TE, OL Before Bears Game
The Bears were not alone in shuffling their roster before the regular-season finale. The Lions did it, too, announcing via X that they “Elevated TE Zach Horton and OL Chris Hubbard from the Practice Squad to the Active/Inactive list.”
Horton is a rookie UDFA who has seen action in one game this season, Week 12 against the Packers.
Hubbard is in his 11th season and is a veteran of four NFL teams.
He has not played in a game this season. Moreover, his elevation comes as the Lions also announced that they “Placed OL Trystan Colon on Reserve/Injured.” Colon has started each of the past three games for the Lions, who are also without star right tackle Penei Sewell against the Bears.
Bears’ Non-Decision Could Prove Telling
The Bears’ most telling move was arguably what they did not do, which is elevate a receiver from the practice squad to fill in for wide receiver Rome Odunze. Odunze has been sidelined since Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he returned to practice in Week 18 for the first time since suffering a setback in Week 15.
Odunze said that his goal was to be healthy for the playoffs. He was hopeful to play in the finale, though.
The Bears will likely wait until announcing their inactives to decide. They made no such announcement coming on Saturday, which could also bode well.
If Odunze is forced to miss another game, the Bears will again turn to DJ Moore and Luther Burden III as their top wideouts against the Lions. Olamide Zaccheaus and Jahdae Walker are on hand for support. The Bears can also lean on their tight ends and running backs more in the passing game.