Bears Announce 2012 Practice Squad

The day after cut day is the day teams can start signing players to their 8-man practice squad; the Bears have theirs wrapped up in just over two hours. Sixth-round draft pick Isaiah Frey and undrafted free agent James Brown headline the squad, with the remaining members being RB Armando Allen, WR Joe Anderson, QB Matt Blanchard, OT Cory Brandon, RB Harvey Unga and DE Aston Whiteside.

Pretty interesting to note seventh-round draft pick Greg McCoy didn't get invited back, making that a completely wasted draft pick, albeit a seventh-rounder.

Couple of quick notes on the squad - yes, Harvey Unga is back, after taking off the entirety of last season, not playing well at all this preseason and being buried in the depth chart. The Bears must really like him, because to my untrained eye he hasn't earned much of anything.

I think we all had a good feeling that James Brown was going to stick on the practice squad at the minimum, if he didn't make the 53-man, but I'm a little surprised Brandon made it. The biggest things Brandon had going for him were... well, he's big, and he has a temper, displayed as he tried taking on two different members of the training camp defense.

Blanchard was almost going to be a necessity, as he's their de facto third quarterback should the unthinkable happen to Jay Cutler or Jason Campbell. And Joe Anderson turned a lot of heads in camp, jumping ahead of Brittan Golden, Terriun Crump and Chris Summers and nearly making it to the 53-man - I'd have to guess he was the seventh receiver.

What are your thoughts on the Bears' practice squad?