Bears fill final roster spot by adding more depth at linebacker following the opening weekend of training camp

The Chicago Bears have made the final addition to the 90-man roster allotted for training camp.

According to multiple sources, the Bears front office signed former UFL linebacker Javin White to fill the final spot after looking into different options at the position.

Prior to the start of training camp, the Bears held a workout for former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Shaquille Waterman and also hosted on for former UFL linebacker Noah Dawkins but ultimately decided to go with White at the position following Sunday's practice.

With the roster now set at 90 players for camp, all of the talks about adding a veteran defensive lineman to the unit can be put to rest for the time being. While addressing the media on Friday, general manager Ryan Poles noted his team explored some of the players on the market but decided to trust what the team already has .

"In the front office, it's our job to look at every option that's out there to improve our football team," Poles said . "We feel really comfortable with the guys we have on our roster now, and I'm excited, we're both excited, to see [defensive line coach Travis Smith] and [defensive coordinator Eric Washington] really put their hands on those guys and develop them as we go through the beginning of training camp. But we will always have our eyes on the list of players that we could potentially bring in."

With the page turned on adding to the defensive front, the Bears turned toward the linebacker position and ultimately landed on the former UFL standout.

With the Michigan Panthers, White had 25 tackles and 2.0 sacks, including seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception in the postseason loss against the Birmingham Stallions. On special teams, White was also a major factor for the Panthers, playing 128 snaps, which is where he can make his impact with the Bears during camp.

This year's camp will be the second stint in Chicago for White after signing with the team in August of 2022. A torn ACL unfortunately caused White to spend the entire 2022 season on the injured reserve before joining the UFL for the 2023 season.

Now, he's looking to show he still has what it takes to make an NFL roster but will be faced with some tough competition in camp. At the position, White will have to compete with Amen Ogbongbemiga, Noah Sewell, and Micah Baskerville as a depth options behind the established starters and special teams contributors on the roster.

All three players have solid experience under their belt, but so does White. It's going to be a solid competition between the four looking to bring out the best in each other.

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