Veteran Cruz can’t catch on
A little more than three months after signing Victor Cruz with hopes he could provide a strong voice in their receivers’ room and rekindle his playing career, the Bears will part ways with the former Giants star, a source confirmed Friday.
Cruz was clearly behind Kendall Wright, who got a one- year, $ 2 million deal this offseason and had previous experience playing for coordinator Dowell Loggains as a member of the Titans. Coaches praisedWright’s knack for finding open spaces in the defense. He finished second on the team in preseason catches and receiving yards.
Cruz had his knee examined Friday after suffering an injury in the preseason finale Thursday.
A former Super Bowl champion known leaguewide for his celebratory salsa, Cruz found himself playing late in preseason games alongside less accomplished players. He said Tuesday he thought he was playing well.
“I still feel like the quickness is there,” he said. “I still feel like the playmaking ability is there. Now it’s just to continue to show that each and every time I’m on the field, whether it will be practice or on game day.”
The Bears must cut their roster to 53 players by 3 p. m. Saturday. They must submit waiver claims by 11 a. m. Sunday. They have the third spot on the wire, based on their 3- 13 record last season.
Shawto go
Connor Shaw will be waived with an injury designation, sources said, after he suffered a hamstring injury with 69 seconds left in their final preseason game.
Shaw played 35 snaps in relief of rookie Mitch Trubisky. He went 11- for- 18 for 110 yards and was sacked three times, including once for a safety, before he was injured while being shoved out of bounds.
The team has long extolled the virtues of Shaw, who might have won the Bears’ backup job last preseason had he not suffered a gruesome broken leg in the third game.
He returned from the injury and was cut during OTAs, but only for a few hours. When Mark Sanchez injured his knee in practice, the Bears were able to rescind the waiver. Shaw turned his car around in Kentucky and drove back to Halas Hall.
Sanchez might be the player most affected by Shaw’s departure. The Bears wanted to keep Shaw on the practice squad. With him gone, they might choose to keep Sanchez as their third quarterback, which would help with practice preparations.
This and that
Will Poehls, an offensive tackle who played with the second team in camp, will be waived, sources said.
Tight end MyCole Pruitt, a Southern Illinois alum acquired last season, will be waived, sources said.
The 49ers released Matt Barkley, who started more games than any other quarterback for the Bears last season. Barkley had signed a two- year deal to back up another former Bears quarterback, Brian Hoyer.
Contributing: