The Chicago Bears moved some players around in a busy day for their roster before taking on the Green Bay Packers, including signing offensive lineman Jordan McFadden.
McFadden was one of several players to see their statuses changed for the Bears.
The Bears are bracing for their greatest test to date, against a Packers team that has dominated them for the past two decades and is taking this matchup personally. That makes McFadden’s shift, along with the rest of the Bears’ moves, that much more noteworthy.
Bears Sign Former Chargers OL Jordan McFadden Amid Roster Shakeup
Jordan McFadden Signs to Bears’ 53-Man Roster
Bears Communications announced in a post on X on December 6 that the team “signed OL Jordan McFadden to the active roster,” ahead of Sunday’s tilt.
The Bears originally claimed McFadden off waivers from the Los Angeles Chargers in January.
They waived him at the end of the preseason, but immediately re-signed him to their practice squad one day later. McFadden, 26, has played in two games this season, logging six total snaps on special teams in Weeks 12 and 13, per Pro Football Reference.
McFadden was the No. 156 overall pick of the 2023 draft by the Chargers. He has started two of the 15 regular-season games he has played so far.
Chicago had one more standard elevation for McFadden.
Instead, they were proactive, adding McFadden to a group that has seen multiple in-season changes at left tackle from Braxton Jones to Theo Benedet to Ozzy Trapilo. McFadden has the positional flexibility to play inside at guard or kick out to tackle.
Carl Jones Jr. Out, Jalen Reeves-Maybin In
To make room for McFadden, the Bears “waived LB Carl Jones Jr.” Jones is a second-year former undrafted free agent who appeared in nine games for the Bears this season. He is a strong candidate to return via the practice squad. That is, if he clears waivers.
The decision to cut Jones drew attention.
Jones is a strong special teams contributor, an area in which Chicago has had some inconsistencies this season.
However, the Bears are replacing him with 2023 Pro Bowler and Second Team All-Pro Jalen Reeves-Maybin, announcing that they “elevated” the former Detroit Lions fourth-round pick (No. 124 in 2017).
Reeves-Maybin made his Bears debut in Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bears are also getting T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell back this week. That bolsters their game-day roster, as they try for their second straight victory over the Packers in Lambeau Field.