Bears Cut Two Players Prior to First Roster Cutdown

On a day when the Bears had to cut the roster down to 85 players, they started making moves early.

Tight end Rysen John and linebacker Noah Dawkins have been waived while they picked up offensive lineman Corey Dublin and safety Jon Alexander.

Alexander, a 6-foot-2, 217-pound undrafted rookie, had been with the team but was waived earlier in camp. An injury to Jaquan Brisker and another to Dane Cruikshank may have impacted this decision.

Dublin is an undrafted player from Tulane who is 6-foot-4, 300 pounds and can play multiple positions.

Dawkins had been playing with the backup defense and has been in the NFL three seasons with the Buccaneers and Jets and has played in 17 games. Strong games from rookie linebackers Jack Sanborn and USFL pickup DeMarquis Gates against Kansas City may have impacted this move.

John is the 6-foot-7, 220-pound tight end who had been with the Giants and spent all offseason in Chicago competing with undrafted rookies Jake Tonges and Chase Allen.

The Bears still will need to cut four players to get to the 85-man limit by the end of the day.

They need to cut only four because they had waived former Northern Arizona defensive end Carson Taylor on Monday.