Bears Sign Former Vikings Starter in Roster Shake-Up

The Chicago Bears are shaking up their roster amid their need for help on the back end of their injury-maligned secondary, bringing in Xavier Woods.

Woods, 31, was a sixth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in 2017.

Bears Add Ex-Cowboys SAF Xavier Woods

Xavier Woods Joins Bears

“#Bears sign Xavier Woods, placed Dallis Flowers on IR,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on August 7.

Woods was the 191st overall pick in his draft class. He has started 121 of 134 career games in the NFL, including for the Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, and the Tennessee Titans.

He has been productive at every stop.

Woods has 660 total tackles, 15 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles, 5 recoveries, and 2.0 sacks in his career.

Flowers was one of a handful of Bears players who exited practice early on Thursday, forcing the team’s hand. The Bears had former New England Patriots draft pick and cornerback Isaiah Bolden in for a workout early in the day.

Woods, obviously, is not a direct replacement for Flowers, who is a cornerback.

However, reserve safety Gervarrius Owens was among the players who left Thursday’s session before it officially ended.

The Bears have been battered in their defensive backfield since the offseason program began, missing multiple players at both cornerback and safety. This at least shores up one spot, while there is a chance more roster moves are in the pipeline.

Bears Tryout List Quite Telling

The Clocker Sports Podcast looked into Woods as an option before he signed, and his arrival provides an opportunity to do a deeper dive and take a look into who else the Bears had their eyes on before their decision.