Chicago Bears rookie Zah Frazier will miss the 2025 season after being placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list. Poles framed the move as a complex, personal situation uncovered before he arrived, with the team aiming to get him on the right path through meetings, weight room work, and medical staff guidance. The absence creates a clear ripple in Chicago’s 2025 depth chart, elevating current pass-catchers and forcing roster-time decisions as Frazier focuses on a 2026 return.

Frazier, a 6'3" prospect with length and speed, won’t crack the 53-man roster in 2024 but remains a future tool for the Bears. Fantasy players should watch how Chicago allocates targets in his absence and consider his long-term upside in dynasty leagues, where a healthy comeback in 2026 could restore a dynamic outside option for fields and rookie development trajectories.

The Chicago Bears are shoring up their depleted secondary by lining up three defensive backs this week: safety Mark Perry and cornerbacks Mekhi Garner and Kaleb Hayes. Their signings come after a weekend preseason tilt with the Dolphins in which several Bears DBs left the game with injuries, and with Jaylon Johnson on the NFI list and Kyler Gordon and Zah Frazier dealing with health issues. The trio participated in a larger Monday tryout, underscoring Black-and-White’s intent to add depth for camp and early preseason rather than immediate long-term fixes. The moves signal Chicago’s plan to weather practice wear and ongoing camp injuries while depth players earn a chance to prove themselves.

Perry, Garner, and Hayes bring a mix of undrafted free-agent background and special-teams versatility. Perry, a 2024 UDFA from TCU who has bounced among practice squads; Garner, a 2023 UDFA who appeared in three games with Philadelphia and later spent time with the Renegades; Hayes, another 2023 UDFA with multiple NFL stops but no regular-season games yet—each adds potential depth and competition for snaps in a position group hit hard by injuries. With Johnson on NFI and the Bears cautious about training camp, these additions aim to stabilize the back end without disrupting player development as Chicago eyes a fuller health return in advance of deeper preseason work.