Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2016 11:35:08 GMT -6
Bears work out four linebackers following loss to Texans
Sep 1, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA;
By: Lorin Cox | 6 hours ago
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace and his pro-scouting department are constantly combing the NFL free-agent landscape to find any players who could possibly provide an improvement to this roster, whether that be at the bottom of the depth chart or just the practice squad.
As a part of this process, the team brought in four linebackers for a workout on Tuesday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The Bears evidently want to explore adding more depth at the position or at least keep tabs on what kind of young talent is out there.
Jimmy Bean is an undrafted rookie free agent out of Oklahoma State who tore his ACL eight games into his last season in college. He has still been recovering from that injury, and Pace likely just wants to see how the tweener outside linebacker/defensive end is coming along.
Pace already got a good look at Rufus Johnson at the Bears’ joint-practices with the New England Patriots, and his New Orleans Saints actually drafted Johnson in the sixth round back in 2013.
Listed at 6-foot-5, 280-pounds, the Division-II Tarleton State product is a massive force on the edge who lines up in both a two- and three-point stance. At the very least, he offers size and versatility, and Pace should already be pretty familiar with him.
Another former sixth-round pick, Deiontrez Mount spent last season with the Tennessee Titans, playing in four games as a rookie and intercepting a pass from Jameis Winston before tearing his ACL prior to his team’s fifth game.
Mount offers similar versatility at 6-foot-5, 249 pounds, playing both defensive end and outside linebacker in the preseason. He appeared to be fully healthy in the preseason, but Pace may have worked him out to see how the Louisville product moves, with his own eyes.
Jermauria Rasco was a 2015 undrafted free agent out of LSU who spent last preseason with the Green Bay Packers before suffering a shoulder injury that landed him on injured reserve. This preseason he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers and did little to make a name for himself.
Clearly, Pace was looking for a certain type of player when he brought these four in for a workout. They’re all outside linebackers capable of playing defensive end that have had bad luck with injuries the past year.
The Bears don’t have any edge rushers on the practice squad at the moment, but that could change quickly if the team liked what they saw from any of these four young players.
Now all we need is a couple of toasting ones! 
