Roster Move: Bears sign ex-Packers linebacker Ty Summers

Appleton Post - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 6 hours ago

Everyone knew that once Carl Jones Jr was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Ravens, the Chicago Bears would once again be in play for a practice squad roster addition. With two open practice squad spots, Chicago hasn't hesitated to bring guys in, as it had as many as seven players work out for the Bears on Tuesday.

Ironically, none of those seven players were added to the practice squad, at least not yet, but that didn't stop the Bears from filling one of those two openings. According to reports out of Halas Hall on Wednesday, the Bears have added former TCU linebacker Ty Summers to their practice squad, and the two have agreed to terms.

Initially a seventh-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2019, the now 29-year-old Summers has plenty of experience, which is a lot more than you can say about most practice squad guys. Up to this point, Summers has appeared in 88 NFL games, with most of his success coming on special teams, where He has made a living since day one.

Considering Jones Jr. was one of the Bears' best special teams players, Summers would presumably take over the role Jones occupied, which would be a win-win for the Bears. Listed as a linebacker by trade, the 6-1, 241-pound Summers has decent size for a linebacker, but from all accounts is one of the more physical special teams players in the game, which is all you can ask for from those types of guys.

Summers' best season came with the Packers in 2020 when he finished the season with 39 tackles while adding a pass breakup. He also added 29 tackles in 2024 with the New York Giants, continuing to show how good a player he can be in the role he has been trusted with. Adding special teams players like Summers isn't often discussed, but Jones Jr. played such an important role for the Bears on Special Teams and in practice that Chicago needed to find a way to replace him.

This move, which comes less than a week after Jones Jr was picked up by the Ravens, also comes after Ben Johnson voiced his complete displeasure with his special teams performance against the Packers. Talk about a coach that continues to hold his players accountable no matter what the record indicates, that is something the team hasn't had since arguably the Lovie Smith days, which is a breath of fresh air to all involved.

The Former All-Big 12 special-teamer spent the bulk of his career with the Packers (2019-21), but since then, he has bounced around the league and is becoming more of a journeyman. Since 2022, Summers has played for the Jaguars (2022), Saints (2022-23), Giants (2024), and Lions (2025) and is now joining the Bears on a practice squad deal that could land him plenty of time on Special Teams.

With Dennis Allen serving as the team's defensive coordinator and having prior experience with Summers, Allen's recommendation helped make this move a reality. Even though Ty Summers has three starts under his belt, the linebacker has spent far more time on special teams. His breakdown of game snaps shows 1,654 special teams snaps and just 317 plays on defense.

Look for that trend to continue, not that T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewall are coming back from their injuries, as seeing time on the defensive side of the ball won't come easily. Regardless, this is another under-the-radar move by Poles to continue building this team, as Summers has been added to an already long list of in-season moves.