The Chicago Bears bolstered their practice squad Tuesday by signing Zavier Scott as uncertainty around Kyle Monangai’s recovery from a mid‑August knee hyperextension persists heading into the regular season.
Monangai’s recovery timeline remains unclear
Kyle Monangai hyperextended his right knee in mid‑August, and the team has not seen the kind of progress it would have hoped for during the preseason. Yahoo! News reported Ben Johnson described Monangai’s status as “week‑to‑week,” a designation that leaves his availability for the Bears’ opener against the Carolina Panthers in doubt.
If Monangai is unavailable for Week 1 (Sunday, Sept. 13), the Bears would need to turn to other options behind starter D’Andre Swift to fill the RB2 role. One possibility is Roschon Johnson, who carries a documented concussion history and logged just two carries and no targets in last season’s offense under the new coaching staff.
Practice‑squad moves and what Scott brings
The organization also signed Salvon Ahmed to the practice squad and completed a flurry of additions that brought Chicago’s practice‑squad signings to 11 players; all 11 had been on the team’s offseason roster before being cut on Sunday. Among those moves was the addition of Zavier Scott, who joined the team on Sept. 1.
Scott, 27, saw his first regular‑season action last year, appearing in 16 games and playing 254 total snaps across offense and special teams. He carried the ball 32 times for 114 yards (a 3.6‑yards per carry average) and added 14 receptions on 16 targets for 98 yards and one touchdown. Those numbers represent his on‑field production during the 2025 campaign.
Adding Scott gives Chicago a player with recent regular‑season experience and multi‑phase snaps who can be activated from the practice squad if Monangai’s knee keeps him out of the opener. The move also expands the team’s depth picture as the coaching staff evaluates options in the days before the first game.
The Bears’ decision to shore up the practice squad underscores the thin margin teams face at the position group level when a young player’s recovery timeline is uncertain. Chicago will carry that question into final roster decisions and game‑week planning as the opener approaches.
