Bears begin roster cuts, place Hardin on IR

According to the Tribune, the Bears have already begun the process of reducing the roster to 75. As well as placing big 3rd round draft pick safety Brandon Hardin on IR after a neck injury caused by ramming his helmet into an even bigger tight end, the team have reportedly informed WR Chris Summers, safety Trevor Coston and DE Derek Walker that they will be placed on waivers.

Jump to see whom the Bears may be lining up to replace Hardin...

The move of Hardin to IR could explain the reported interest of the Bears in former Packer safety Charlie Peprah, who was released after failing a physical on the first day of training camp. Peprah had arthroscopic knee surgery during the offseason and didn't participate in offseason workouts. We last saw him on the Xmas Day game when he intercepted Josh McCown in the Packers' 35-21 win.

What worries me, though, is that the Packers desperately needed veteran defensive backfield help - especially after Pro Bowl free safety Nick Collins was released following a severe neck injury - yet declined to keep Peprah around for training camp to see if his knee would improve during preseason. Either they didn't think his knee could hold up going forward, or they think the 29 year-old safety has less to offer than a bunch of youngsters and rookies.

The Hardin move should be good news for Anthony Walters, an undrafted free agent signed last year who appeared in four games for the Bears after the release of Winston Venable, before ending his season on - wait for it - IR. Walters caught the eye in Friday's game against the Giants when he deflected David Carr's late shot at the endzone into the arms of rookie CB Isaiah Frey.

Brad Biggs also reports that two sources also say that offensive lineman Nick Peischel has a knee injury that will prevent him from making the squad, but it remains unknown as to what the Bears plan to do with him.

What do you make of this, and who else is on the bubble? The Bears began the day with 88 on the roster after Kahlil Bell was released, and will have to reduce it to 75 by Monday. Don't forget, teams typically release veterans in the first wave to help their chance of making a roster elsewhere, so we could see some bigger names gone between now and the 3pm Monday deadline.