Waived Bears Lineman Claimed by Cardinals

The Bears have lost another draft pick, although he's already one they had waived.

Center Doug Kramer was waived on the weekend as they brought Braxton Jones off injured reserve, but the former Illinois player seemed to be a player they would want back on their practice squad. Otherwise, they wouldn't have had him on the 53-man roster.

They didn't get the chance to put him on the practice squad because the Arizona Cardinals intervened and claimed him off waivers.

Earlier this season the Bears hads virtual waiver immunity as the first team in the waiver pecking order but the Cardinals have the worst record in the league and are No. 1 on waivers now. They claimed the second-year lineman and he'll go there with a good chance to move up in the order behind starter Hjalte Froholdt and backup Keith Ismael.

The Bears have three players who could be centers on the active roster in Lucas Patrick, Cody Whitehair and Dan Feeney, although none have exactly excelled.

Kramer was a sixth-round pick and spent all of 2022 on injured reserve, then started on injured reserve this year with a different injury. His only action in a regular season game came against the Raiders this year on two plays.

Kramer could have been a player they wanted for further development.

The Bears lost guard Zachary Thomas, a 2022 draft pick, off their practice squad last year to the Rams and defensive tackle Travis Bell, a seventh-rounder this year, off their practice squad to the Falcons, as well. 

Practice squad players must be waived and are free agents. The Bears also lost practice squad tackle Kellen Diesch, an undrafted free agent who was claimed by Pittsburgh.