Bears make late preseason roster adjustments, signing Marcus Davenport and Deantre Prince

The Chicago Bears announced a set of roster moves on August 17, adding defensive lineman Marcus Davenport and defensive back Deantre Prince while waiving running back Coleman Bennett and tight end Nikola Kalinic. The transactions reflect the typical sorting process teams undergo in late summer, when depth charts are tested and practice-squad and final roster spots are still in flux.

In the Bears’ announcement, Davenport is brought in as a defensive line option, giving the team another experienced pass-rushing presence for training camp and preseason evaluations. Davenport’s addition indicates Chicago’s continued focus on bolstering the front with players who can create pressure and help set the tone against the run.

Alongside Davenport, Prince joins the defensive back group. For a team like the Bears, adding a defensive back during this window often affects multiple phases at once, including coverage packages in live periods, special teams looks, and the pecking order for depth roles.

The Bears also waived Bennett, a move that trims the running back room and underscores how quickly competition can shift during roster cutdown preparation. For players in that category, waiver placement can open a new path if another team claims them or if they clear and re-enter the organization’s depth plans.

Nikola Kalinic, the tight end, was waived with an injury designation. That matters for how teams manage availability, because an injury designation indicates the player is dealing with health matters at the time of roster processing, which can affect whether he can immediately resume normal participation.

The Bears did not provide additional detail in the announcement beyond the transaction actions themselves. As always with roster moves at this stage, the competitive impact will be clearer after next practices and any preseason action, when coaches can evaluate who takes reps and who earns further consideration.

Going forward, the key storyline for Chicago is how Davenport and Prince fit into the Bears’ defensive rotation. The next set of team activities should clarify whether either addition becomes a consistent starter-level option in camp work, or instead carves out a role primarily through situational packages and special teams.