Bears Make Another Linebacker Change

The revolving door that has become the Bears backup linebacker group continues to spin.

Out the door Thursday went Buddy Johnson after just one preseason game. The Bears have signed former Eagles linebacker Davion Taylor as a replacement on the roster.

Taylor is a 6-foot-1, 230-pound third-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 and he has made seven NFL starts while playing in 21 games. In 2021, Taylor made 41 tackles and forced two fumbles for the Eagles, and he has 51 career tackles.

Taylor played in nine games in 2021 and then suffered a knee injury bad enough to end his season. He tore an MCL, and it was reportedly severe enough that it was torn off the bone. So he had to have surgery when MCL injuries often require time and not medical procedures to hear.

The Eagles had cut Taylor last year after training camp, then brought him back to their practice squad and kept him there all last year. They also signed him to a futures contract this year but the 25-year-old was waived a week and a half ago.

Johnson was signed by the Bears on reporting day for camp and had two tackles plus an assist on a special teams tackle in the first preseason game. He was a fourth-round pick by the Steelers in 2021.

The Bears were still without starting linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and backup DeMarquis Gates at Wednesday's practice in Indianapolis due to injuries. 

At different times during camp, they've also been without backup Dylan Cole.