The Bears completed their practice squad by signing linebacker Josh Woods to their 16th and final spot.
Woods had been with the team's 53-man roster for two seasons before undrafted rookie Caleb Johnson beat him out for a roster spot this training camp. Both had initially been on the 53-man roster but changes after the final cuts left Johnson on the roster and Woods off of it.
Johnson was one of the few big surprises with the final roster because he comes from Houston Baptist, an FCS school that had dropped into the NAIA before returning in 2008 to the NCAA.
"I think he's a good young linebacker," Bears inside linebackers coach Bill McGovern said. "He shows awareness, flashes some instincts. Still a work in progress, but happy to have him."
The system Johnson played in was not a match in any way for the Bears system but more than anything else Johnson's work ethic and intelligence caught their eyes.
"Took to it, didn't back down from it," McGovern said. "Learned from his mistakes, got better each and every day he got out there. It was one of those things, like, he had a lot of opportunities and he took advantage of them. He stayed healthy, and he got out there and took advantage of those opportunities and that experience of being on the field."
Bears 16-Man Practice Squad
WR Rodney Adams
DL Auzoyah Alufohai
WR Isaiah Coulter
G/C Dieter Eiselen
DB Thomas Graham Jr.
G/T Arlington Hambright
K Brian Johnson
WR Jon'Vea Johnson
OLB Sam Kamara
RB Ryan Nall
WR Dazz Newsome
RB Artavis Pierce
OLB Charles Snowden
S Teez Tabor
T Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
ILB Josh Woods
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