The Chicago Bears have added a new running back to the mix at training camp, using a crafty maneuver to clear room for him to join their 90-man roster.
According to the NFL’s official transaction wire for July 28, the Bears signed former Cleveland Browns running back Demetric Felton to their roster on Sunday. They also received an international roster exemption from the league for rookie and Australian native Tory Taylor, meaning he does not count against their 90-man roster total.
The international exemption will not apply to the Bears’ 53-man roster after final cuts.
Felton joins the fold at a time when the Bears are dealing with two banged-up running backs — Travis Homer and rookie Ian Wheeler — at practice. The 2021 sixth-round pick played 24 games for the Browns over his first two seasons in the league, operating more often as a receiver (20 catches for 189 yards on 25 targets) than a pure runner (eight carries for 20 yards) in a backfield that featured Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Felton also played 250 special teams snaps for the Browns in those two seasons, giving him additional utility for the Bears. The team is currently relying on Homer as one of its core special teams contributors, but Felton could have an opportunity to push him to the roster bubble if he can make an impression on the Bears in multiple phases.
Felton could simply be a camp body for the Bears while they are dealing with injuries, but there are reasons to think he could vie for the fourth spot in their running back rotation in 2024 if given the chance to properly compete throughout the preseason.
Felton is a receiving back by nature. During his four seasons at UCLA, he established himself as a dual-threat with 1,101 career rushing yards and 958 career receiving yards, but his receiving ability is what earned him the most fanfare ahead of the 2021 draft. Some, including NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, even questioned whether he would make the full-time switch to receiving at the pro level, something that has not transpired.
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