Bears expected to sign Lamar Miller to practice squad

The Bears are expected to sign former Pro Bowl running back Lamar Miller to their practice squad, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Friday.

Miller was one of four running backs the Bears worked out on Wednesday after Tarik Cohen was placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL. The 29-year-old spent part of the 2020 offseason with the Patriots before he was released as a result of mandatory roster cuts.

The nine-year veteran has rushed for 5,864 yards in his career, topping 1,000 yards twice and reaching the 800-yard mark in all but two of the seasons he has played in. Miller started off his career playing with the Dolphins for four years before signing with the Texans in the 2016 offseason. It was there he would make it to his first and only Pro Bowl appearance, being named as an injury replacement for Phillip Lindsay.

Miller has experience working under Bears running backs coach Charles London, who held the same role for the Texans. In their two overlapping years, Miller ran for 1,961 yards and 8 touchdowns on 506 carries. He has also played under Bears offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, who was the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2015.

As a result of the NFL’s new practice squad rules, teams are allowed to add six players to their practice squad who have played any number of seasons in the league. Arguably the most extreme example of this practice is the Eagles stashing quarterback Josh McCown, a 41-year-old veteran who has played in the NFL for 18 seasons, onto their practice squad.

With the Bears having called running back Artavis Pierce up to the active roster, Miller serves as the lone back on the team’s practice squad. While unknown whether the team plans on giving him playing time, he will at the very least serve as a mentor for the likes of David Montgomery, Ryan Nall, Pierce and the recovering Tarik Cohen, all of whom being 25 years old or younger.