With safety Jaquan Brisker still in concussion protocol and running back Khalil Herbert now with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Chicago Bears are bolstering their roster.
On November 7, the Bears announced they had signed defensive back Tarvarius Moore to the active roster and added DB JT Woods to the practice squad. These moves followed the placement of interior defensive lineman Andrew Billings and defensive back Jaylon Jones on the Reserve/Injured list. Chicago also traded Herbert to Cincinnati for a future seventh-round pick ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline.
In addition, on November 6, the Bears signed cornerback Ameer Speed to the active roster and re-signed running back Darrynton Evans to the practice squad.
A third-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022 (No. 79 overall), Woods has played 13 games (one start) over his first two seasons in the NFL. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound defensive back has accumulated 8 tackles (7 solo, 1 assisted), with 89 special teams snaps and 91 defensive snaps.
Woods had a strong college career at Baylor, where he led the Big 12 with six interceptions in his senior year, returning one for a touchdown. He also recorded 57 tackles (44 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, and two pass breakups, earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.
Despite his college success, Woods has yet to make a significant impact in the NFL. During the 2024 offseason, the Chargers experimented with moving him from safety to cornerback, noting his promise in man coverage and versatility. However, he was released as part of the team’s final roster cuts.
After being waived by the Chargers, Woods was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad in late August 2024, but was released from the squad in October.
Darrynton Evans, a former third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans (93rd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft), returns to Chicago after spending time with the Bears in 2022 and 2023.
Evans’ career has been plagued by injuries, which sidelined him for much of his time with the Titans. In 2021, he was placed on injured reserve twice, playing just one game with limited action (two carries for seven yards and two receptions for 11 yards). After being released by the Titans in March 2022, he was claimed off waivers by the Bears. That season, Evans played in six games for Chicago, rushing 14 times for 64 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and catching one pass for 33 yards.
In 2023, Evans signed with the Indianapolis Colts but spent only a short time with the team before being waived. He later joined the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad before returning to the Bears in October 2023.
A free agent again in 2024, Evans briefly joined the Buffalo Bills but was released in November. Over the course of his NFL career, he has totaled 62 carries for 246 yards (4.0 yards per carry), one rushing touchdown, and 12 receptions for 120 yards and one receiving touchdown.
It remains to be seen whether Evans will see playing time as the season unfolds.
Leave a Reply