As the playoff race in the NFC North heats up ahead of the final seven weeks of the season, teams are desperately trying to get an edge over one another. On Tuesday, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Chicago Bears signed former Detroit Lions defender and special teamer Jalen Reeves-Maybin to their practice squad. Reeves-Maybin will fill the practice squad spot that was opened after the Commanders poached kicker Jake Moody from the Bears.
Ex-Lion Jalen Reeves-Maybin Signs With the Chicago Bears
Reeves-Maybin has been without a team since the Lions cut him to clear up cap space. Detroit released the veteran linebacker back in February and saved $2 million in the process. There was some speculation that the Lions would bring him back later in the offseason, but a deal never materialized.
The 30-year-old defender spent the majority of his career with the Lions except for a one-year stint with the Texans in 2022. He quickly returned to Detroit following that tenure and made his first Pro Bowl while also earning second-team All-Pro honors thanks to his special team contributions. He was primarily utilized as a depth piece in the linebacker rotation, but was a crucial part of special teams for years. In 2023 and 2024, he played over 80% of the Lions' special teams snaps. Per Pro Football Focus, Reeves-Maybin had a special teams grade of over 60.0 in all but one season in the league and amassed 50 tackles on special teams for his career.
During his time in Detroit, Reeves-Maybin earned a reputation not only as one of the best special teams performers in the league but also as a locker room leader and a fan favorite. This earned him the role of the president of the NFL Players Association in March 2024, a role he still holds to this day.
How big a role Reeves-Maybin will have in Chicago remains to be seen, as purely special-teams players have seen their value reduced recently due to the league's new dynamic kickoff rule. At the same time, if he sticks around with the Bears, he could give them an edge before their Week 18 clash with the Lions. The Bears currently lead the division, but only a game separates them from the Packers and the Lions. They hope that having a former Lion in the building could be a slight advantage, but it will be fascinating to see if it ultimately makes a difference.