Bears Improve Experience and Depth at DB

The Bears added safety Duron Harmon to their 53-man roster by signing him off of the Baltimore Ravens practice squad.

They claimed safety Quindell Johnson off waivers just before the season and he has the only interception by a Bears defensive back, but the foot injury suffered by Eddie Jackson that was initially deemed as less serious hasn't been. Jackson hasn't played since Week 2 and wasn't scheduled to practice Monday if they had held a practice.

So they have been shorthanded at the position and especially inexperienced. They've been using 2022 seventh-round pick Elijah Hicks as a starting safety after he had just 168 defensive plays of experience last year.

The Bears will need to make another roster move by cutting someone if they bring Teven Jenkins off of injured reserve for Thursday's game.

Harmon is 32 years old, making him their oldest defensive player. He is 6-foot, 205 pounds. 

A third-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2013 out of Rutgers, he hadn't been a full-time safety with the Patriots but had played as an extra safety in nickel or dime coverage packages. He started at safety for the Detroit Lions in 2020, then for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 and for the Las Vegas Raiders last year. He has three Super Bowl rings.

Harmon has 23 career interceptions and 43 pass breakups. He had been a free agent after last season and went through the offseason unsigned until the Ravens added him to their practice squad just after their first game this season.