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.
Could Demetric Felton Crack Bears’ 53-Man Roster?
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.
While Felton did not switch exclusively to wide receiver in the end, the Bears may find his pass-catching ability out of the backfield valuable in their rotation.
Felton is also an experienced special teams weapon. He earned recognition on the Pro Football Writers Association’s 2021 All-Rookie Team after returning 32 punts for 227 yards as a rookie for the Browns. He has also returned kickoffs and can play the gunner role in punt coverage, logging five tackles, a forced fumble and four fumble recoveries.
The Bears are still trying to hone in on their return specialists for the 2024 season with Velus Jones Jr. and DeAndre Carter the main two in the mix heading into August. If Felton can enter his name into contention for the role — or show promise as a gunner — there is a chance he could win a spot on a 53-man roster for the first time since 2022.
Travis Homer Could Land on Roster Bubble in 2024
If the Bears keep Felton in the mix over the next few weeks, Homer could find himself in a make-or-break situation in the build-up to the 53-man roster cutdown in August.
Homer occupied the No. 4 running back role for the Bears in 2023, but his role was primarily special teams, playing a fifth-most 253 special teams snaps and logging a second-most six tackles in the third phase. In fact, the Bears seemed reluctant to get him involved at all on offense, targetting him just one time in the passing game and giving him no carries even though they had stretches of injuries in their backfield.
Now, the Bears — and specifically special teams coordinator Richard Hightower — may still find value in Homer’s special teams contributions, but his case to make the 53-man roster would weaken if Felton or another back can match his special teams value while also adding a more dynamic option for the team on offense. Felton’s return man utility could also provide him with an edge, especially if gunners emerge as other positions.
The Bears could also save money by swapping out Homer for someone like Felton. They signed him to a two-year, $4 million contract in 2023 free agency, but cutting him now would leave them with just $225,000 in dead cap and free up about $1.88 million in cap space for the 2024 season. The savings would not be huge, but they could provide a little more flexibility if the team wants to make one more addition at another position.
Homer should still have time to make his case for the 2024 roster, but getting healthy — and doing so quickly — will likely be essential to him sticking around in Chicago.
