Roster

The Bears re-signed defensive lineman Amobi Okoye Wednesday.

The Bears signed linebacker Jerry Franklin off the Cowboys' practice squad Tuesday.

After having his contract terminated earlier this week by the Bears, wide receiver Johnny Knox told the Chicago Sun Times Thursday that he has decided to retire. The receiver missed all of the 2012 season after undergoing spinal fusion surgery following a vicious hit in mid-December, 2011, against the Seahawks. He has not stepped on the field since sustaining that injury. “As an athlete, you don’t want to give up, you want to keep on fighting. That’s how I've always been,” Knox says. “But it’s been on my heart for a while. I know how my body feels, and I know I’m not going to be the same and perform at the ability that I used to. So I’m moving on and going forward.”

The Bears trimmed down their roster Sunday by cutting quarterback Matt Blanchard, defensive tackle John McCargo, linebacker Adrien Cole, wide receiver Terriun Crump, wide receiver Chris Summers, safety Trevor Coston, defensive end Derek Walker and linebacker K.C. Asiodu.

Bears WR Roy Williams closed out the regular season with his second touchdown of the season Week 17 at Minnesota, hauling in a 22-yard pass from QB Josh McCown in the second quarter. Williams, who was targeted a team-high seven times in the contest, finished with four catches for 60 yards. He had six catches for 81 yards -- both season highs -- in Week 16.

Notable players the Bears either waived or released Friday include: LB Xavier Adibi, RB Armando Allen, WR Joe Anderson, CB Cornelius Brown, WR Terriun Crump, DE Chauncey Davis, WR Rashied Davis, CB Isaiah Frey, WR Brittan Golden, SB Mark LeGree, QB Josh McCown, CB Greg McCoy, DT Jordan Miller, TE Brandon Venson, DE Aston Whiteside, CB Jonathan Wilhite and LB Jabara Williams.

Bears defensive lineman Corey Wootton was able to add to his sack total in Week 11 against the 49ers. He finished with two tackles (one solo) and half a sack in the 32-7 loss. Wootton now has 4.5 sacks on the year.

The Bears selected Florida linebacker Jonathan Bostic in the second round of the NFL draft. Bostic, a senior inside linebacker with a reputation for speed, made 67 tackles with 6 1/2 sacks as a senior and for his career had five interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Bears coach Marc Trestman confirmed that Devin Hester will be the team's returner first, "then we'll see where it goes from there."

ESPN reports that Bears running back Matt Forte said he expects more work this season under new coach Marc Trestman. Forte gained 1,434 yards from scrimmage in 2012 (1,094 rushing and 340 receiving). Although he ranked second on the team in receptions (44), Forte caught 74 fewer passes than leading receiver Brandon Marshall (119). Forte's 44 catches in 2012 represented a career low for the running back, who in the four previous seasons, averaged close to 56 grabs per year. "I would expect (to be used more in the new offense). Coach Trestman I think he said he watched a lot of film on me and has seen me run different routes," Forte said. "So we'll get back to catching the ball out of the backfield like we did the prior years."

The Bears placed LB J.T. Thomas on injured reserve on Saturday.

The Bears signed journeyman safety Troy Nolan on Wednesday, reports the Chicago Tribune. Chicago doesn't expect Chris Conte to be ready for Sunday's Week 17 game at Detroit.

The Bills released wide receiver David Clowney, linebacker Danny Batten, defensive lineman Sean Ferguson, cornerback Prince Miller, tight end Fendi Onobun, wide receiver Derek Session and defensive back Nick Sukay.

The Bears signed wide receiver Demetrius Fields, cornerback Maurice Jones and defensive tackles Corvey Irvin and Christian Tupou. To make room, the team cut linebacker Dom DeCicco and cornerback LeQuan Lewis.

The Bears have signed defensive lineman Turk McBride to a one-year deal. He spent the last two seasons with the Saints.

Chicago released defensive lineman Cheta Ozougwu on Friday to clear a roster spot for running back Harvey Unga after he was promoted from the practice squad. Ozougwu appeared in just two games with the Bears this season -- his first NFL action -- and tallied three tackles.

The Bears placed rookie defensive back Brandon Hardin (neck) on season-ending injured reserve Sunday.

Neck - Questionable for start of training camp

The Bears' third-day draft picks include Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene, Georgia defensive end Cornelius Washington and Washington State receiver Marquess Wilson.

The Bears signed free-agent linebacker James Anderson to a one-year contract on Sunday, reports the Chicago Tribune. Anderson, who was released by the Panthers earlier in the month, is expected to fill in as the team's strong-side linebacker.

The Bears have re-signed quarterback Josh McCown.

Bears kicker Olindo Mare, signed by the Bears in mid-December when Robbie Gould went down, made four of his five field goal attempts in Sunday's 26-24 win over the Lions.

Bears GM Phil Emery told the media on Monday he hopes to see more from Earl Bennett in 2013. "Earl showed us his talent (at Detroit in Week 17)," he said. "That catch and run, he showed, I think, everybody, he has a little bit more zip than sometimes, as fans -- and I'm one of them -- give him credit for. Took the ball around the seam and he was gone. He's had numerous midfield catches in his career. Whether it was him not having a fast start because he had an ankle in camp, he missed a little preseason, or the concussions, I don't know."

The Bears announced earlier this week that defensive tackle Henry Melton signed his one-year franchise tender offer. He'll be a free agent again in 2014.

Bears coach Marc Trestman said new linebacker D.J. Williams is off to a great start in minicamp this far. "He's a guy who has come here to reinvent himself, so to speak," Trestman said. "Maybe that's the wrong term but you know he's in a new place in a new time and a new start. There's guys on this team that know him and think very highly of him, guys in the locker room that think very highly of him. He's very noticeable out there in practice."

The Bears placed defensive back Sherrick McManis on injured reserve Tuesday with a knee injury.

Notable players the Bears either waived or released Friday include: LB Xavier Adibi, RB Armando Allen, WR Joe Anderson, CB Cornelius Brown, WR Terriun Crump, DE Chauncey Davis, WR Rashied Davis, CB Isaiah Frey, WR Brittan Golden, SB Mark LeGree, QB Josh McCown, CB Greg McCoy, DT Jordan Miller, TE Brandon Venson, DE Aston Whiteside, CB Jonathan Wilhite and LB Jabara Williams.

Brian Urlacher announced his retirement in a statement on Twitter. While he was offered a contract by the Bears this offseason, he deemed it too low and shopped his services elsewhere but couldn't get any acceptable offers. "Although I could continue playing, I'm not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that's up to my standards," he said in a statement. "When considering this, along with the fact that I could retire after a 13 year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear."

Bears coach Marc Trestman said rookie receiver Marquess Wilson needs to put on some weight before being a regular part of the offense. "He’s 20 years old, so he has a lot of growing to do," Trestman told ESPN. "Being around here and getting involved in our weight program over the next few months is certainly going to help him as well. He’s going to get stronger. He’ll get bigger and add more girth. And he’ll be around a place where he’ll be able to eat right."

Updating a previous report, Bears kicker Robbie Gould has been cleared by his doctor to participate in the team's OTA workouts this week. He's apparently recovered from surgery to fix a ruptured hamstring.

Calf - Probable for start of training camp

Notable players the Bears either waived or released Friday include: LB Xavier Adibi, RB Armando Allen, WR Joe Anderson, CB Cornelius Brown, WR Terriun Crump, DE Chauncey Davis, WR Rashied Davis, CB Isaiah Frey, WR Brittan Golden, SB Mark LeGree, QB Josh McCown, CB Greg McCoy, DT Jordan Miller, TE Brandon Venson, DE Aston Whiteside, CB Jonathan Wilhite and LB Jabara Williams.

The Bears' third-day draft picks include Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene, Georgia defensive end Cornelius Washington and Washington State receiver Marquess Wilson.

Bears defensive lineman Israel Idonije was ruled active for Sunday's contest agaibnst the Texans in Week 10. He was limited in practice earlier in the week due to an ankle injury.

The Eagles made their initial roster cuts Saturday, waiving 10 players to get their roster to 80 players. Those cuts include: wide receivers Brian Hernandez, Tiger Rogers, McKay Jacobson and Elvis Akpla; defensive backs Wade Bonner, Tom Nelson and Kevin Thomas; and defensive lineman Xavier Brown.

Bears kick returner Eric Weems has been doing well as a receiver in practice, says the Chicago Tribune. "He's consistent, much better than advertised," receivers coach Darryl Drake said. "Silently does it. Doesn’t get noticed as much. He’s proven he can be a good receiver as well as a special-teams player."

The Bears have released defensive tackle Matt Toeaina. Toeaina started 24 of 36 games played in five seasons with the Bears, recording 66 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and two tackles for losses.

Bears defensive back Charles Tillman was able to practice in full on Friday after being limited the day before and sitting out Wednesday due to ribs and an elbow issue. He is being considered as probable for Week 17 against the Lions.

The following players were cut by the Chiefs Friday: defensive linemen Brandon Bair, defensive back Mikail Baker, wide receiver Josh Bellamy, fullback Patrick DiMarco, defensive back Chandler Fenner, defensive lineman Amon Gordon, wide receiver Junior Hemingway, defensive lineman Jerome Long, linebacker Gabe Miller, receiver Jamar Newsome, defensive back, Terrance Parks, defensive back Neiko Thorpe, safety Donald Washington and linebacker Leon Williams.

The Saints cut the following players on Friday: DE Braylon Broughton, LB Kadarron Anderson, LB Ezra Butler, WR Greg Camarillo, QB Sean Canfield, DE Alex Daniels, TE Michael Higgins, CB Nick Hixson, DB Jerico Nelson, TE Derek Schouman, WR Andy Tanner and LB Lawrence Wilson.

With Bears running back Matt Forte nursing an ankle injury, both Armando Allen and Khalil Bell could be in line for major bumps in value if Forte is forced to miss Week 17 against Detroit. But the problem here is two-fold: Forte must first be out for either of them to have real value (keep in mind, he has injured his ankle twice this year and missed just one game), and then one of the two has to step up in Forte's absence. With their past usage, a Fantasy player could draw two conclusions.

Bears tight end Kyle Adams, who was slotted in at fullback in place of the injured Evan Rodriguez, caught one pass for seven yards on Sunday.

Bears defensive lineman Julius Peppers did not record a tackle in Sunday's 26-24 win over the Lions, but managed to recover one of Detroit's four fumbles.

The Chicago Bears have signed DT Nate Collins to a one-year contract.

Bears quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh told the Chicago Tribune that Jay Cutler has had a say in what the team's new offense will look like. Impressed with Cutler's football knowledge, Cavanaugh says Cutler's arm is one of the best he's ever been around. "I think he's embracing how we want to approach things," Cavanaugh said. "There has been a lot of give and take. We didn't come in here with a mandate that this is exactly how we're doing it and there is no leeway. We wanted his feedback. He's been willing to do that. It's a good working relationship now. ... We're trying to impress on him, Marc [Trestman] too, that our job is to protect you and allow you to finish the throwing motion. If that's our sole focus for you, you have to hold up your end and hitch into throws and follow through and throw a bunch of completions."

The Detroit Lions made their first round of cuts Monday and released the following players: wide receivers Jarett Dillard and Terrence Toliver; running backs James Bryant and Stephfon Green; defensive back Sean Jones; linebacker Slade Norris and defensive lineman Bobby Skinner.

The Bears have released veteran defensive lineman Andre Fluellen.

Bears coach Marc Trestman said he expects second-year receiver Alshon Jeffery to start in 2013, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Chicago released defensive lineman Cheta Ozougwu on Friday to clear a roster spot for running back Harvey Unga after he was promoted from the practice squad. Unga was released by the Bears during the last round of cuts during the preseason.

Bears defensive back Tim Jennings was a full participant in practice for the third straight day Friday and is being considered as probable for Week 17 against the Lions. He returned a week ago after missing two games due to a separated shoulder.

With one year remaining on his current contract, the Chicago Bears released defensive lineman Anthony Adams on Sunday, according to the Chicago Tribune. Adams, 31, signed a two-year contract with the team last summer. He had 17 tackles in 11 games last season.

Bears tight end/fullback Evan Rodriguez has been arrested, according to CBS Miami. He's been charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in Miami.

The Bears placed defensive back Craig Steltz on injured reserve Tuesday with a chest injury.

Linebacker Blake Costanzo, who signed with the Bears late Tuesday, has 71 career special teams tackles, four forced fumbles and four recoveries. His 17 special teams tackles was second on the 49ers last season. "The (Bears) have had some of the top special teams in the league, too, so we've been in contact with them," Costanzo told the San Francisco Chronicle. "They made me an offer and wanted to make me part of their team for the next couple of years. It was a good opportunity for me and my family. I decided to jump on it."

The Bears passed on the chance to sign cornerback Kelvin Hayden last season, and he inked with the Falcons instead. This time, the Bears didn't pass, signing him to a one-year deal.

The Bears announced Tuesday they re-signed quarterback Josh McCown and releases tight end Brody Eldridge to make room on the roster. McCown was signed given the uncertain status of quarterback Jay Cutler, who sustained a concussion Week 10 vs. Houston.

Bears safety Major Wright totaled five tackles (four solo) and one interception Week 14 at Minnesota. It was his fourth interception of the season, which sets a new career-high.

A workout at Halas Hall of veteran free agents earlier this week led the Bears to sign three players to bolster the D-line. Defensive linemen John McCargo, Demario Pressley and Cheta Ozougwu all signed one-year deals. McCargo, a 6-2, 295-pounder played five seasons for Buffalo and one for Tampa Bay and has one career start. Pressley, a Saints' fifth-round pick in 2009, also played for Carolina one season. Ozougwu was a seventh-round pick by the Texans last year.

Although Bears running back Michael Bush dressed Week 15 against the Packers, he was not used because he was still nursing an injury to his ribs. "He was in uniform, but we were only going to use him if we had to," Bears coach Lovie Smith said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. "Still wasn't quite ready to go." The Bears ended Bush's season Tuesday by placing him on injured reserve.

The Bears added depth to their defense with the signings of Kyle Moore and Andre Fluellen on Tuesday.

The Packers continued trimming their roster Friday in preparation for the regular season and released the following players: running backs Marc Tyler and Nicholas Cooper; defensive backs Anthony Levine and Otis Merrill; wide receivers Dale Moss, Diondre Borel, Tori Gurley and Curenski Gilleylen; defensive lineman Daniel Muir; and tight end Brandon Bostick.

With Bears running back Matt Forte nursing an ankle injury, both Armando Allen and Khalil Bell could be in line for major bumps in value if Forte is forced to miss Week 17 against Detroit. But the problem here is two-fold: Forte must first be out for either of them to have real value (keep in mind, he has injured his ankle twice this year and missed just one game), and then one of the two has to step up in Forte's absence. With their past usage, a Fantasy player could draw two conclusions.

Notable players cut by the Ravens Friday include: RB Anthony Allen, S Omar Brown, LB Josh Bynes, LB Nigel Carr, WR Dorian Graham, NT Nicholas Jean-Baptiste, NT Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, DE Terrence Moore, QB Curtis Painter, WR Logan Payne, S Cyhl Quarles and OLB Chavis Williams.

The Bears promoted wide receiver Joe Anderson from the practice squad to the active roster Tuesday.

Bears DL Stephen Paea made his NFL debut in Week 6 against the Vikings and did not disappoint. He finished with a sack and two tackles in the 39-10 win. His sack of QB Donovan McNabb in the first quarter went for a safety. "Coming into this game, all I could do was show the coach what I can bring to the table," Paea told ESPN.com. "I had confidence that I would be able to showcase my skills to my teammates and be able to contribute. Hopefully, I'll keep getting better every week and that will be fun."

The Bears signed wide receiver Demetrius Fields, cornerback Maurice Jones and defensive tackles Corvey Irvin and Christian Tupou. To make room, the team cut linebacker Dom DeCicco and cornerback LeQuan Lewis.

Bears linebacker Lance Briggs had six tackles in Sunday's 26-24 win over the Lions.

The Bears have placed S Anthony Walters on IR on Tuesday due to a hamstring injury. Walters is out for the season now.

Chicago has added blocking tight end Steve Maneri to a two-year deal.

The Bears agreed to terms with safety Tom Zbikowski on a one-year contract. He's expected to battle for playing time in training camp this summer.

The Bears waived linebacker Patrick Trahan Saturday. The move was made one day before the Week 1 game against the Colts.

The Bears signed wide receiver Demetrius Fields, cornerback Maurice Jones and defensive tackles Corvey Irvin and Christian Tupou. To make room, the team cut linebacker Dom DeCicco and cornerback LeQuan Lewis.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that new Bears tight end Martellus Bennett is making a good impression early on. ‘‘He’s a student,” Bears tight end coach Andy Bischoff said. ‘‘He’s writing everything down. He’s asking questions. He wants to be coached. Really, in every possible way, he’s been a joy." Bennett signed a four-year deal to be the versatile, pass-catching threat the Bears didn’t have at tight end the last two seasons. ‘‘He’s often involved in suggestions and mentorship in the right way," Bischoff said. ‘‘He’s not overstepping the guidelines of a coach, but really just reinforcing the player. He’s been a leader. He wants to be the leader of that group. He’s been doing it quietly. The personality comes out in non-football-related deals. He’s been wonderful."

Chicago defensive back Chris Conte left the Week 13 overtime loss to Seattle due to an illness, reports ESPN. Conte had one tackle in the game.

Bears defensive end Shea McClellin told the media at minicamp Wednesday he has put on "five to seven" pounds in hopes of landing a larger role on defense.

After serving as one of the most integral members of the team's special teams unit last season, defensive back Zack Bowman signed a one-year contract to remain with the Bears, the Chicago Tribune reports. Bowman signed with the Bears during the season after being released by Minnesota last September.

While Brandon Marshall said last week he was sure he'd begin 2013 "100 percent healthy," Bears general manager Phil Emery had other news. Emery said Marshall would be sidelined for the team's April minicamp following hip surgery. No word was given as to if he'd actually miss the start of training camp.

Hip - Probable for start of training camp