Hard Knocks recap: Velus Jones Jr., Ian Wheeler bears, Austin Reed get one last chance to impress Bears

The NFL’s roster cutdown deadline and the airing of the final two episodes of HBO’s Hard Knocks have created a somewhat awkward situation for storytelling, Ian Wheeler bears as the 53-man rosters for all 32 teams are already known.

The latest episode of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears, which aired Tuesday night, focused on the players on the edge of making the roster—those competing for the final spots. These players are often third-day draft picks, undrafted rookies, former practice squad members, and others vying for one of the limited positions available.

Here’s a look at some of the Bears players featured in Tuesday’s episode and their cutdown day outcomes:

Quarterback Austin Reed: Cut As an undrafted rookie, Reed faced a tough challenge making the Bears’ roster, with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent already Ian Wheeler bears secured in key spots. Veteran Brett Rypien, who was also expected to be a backup, was released as well. Reed didn’t see much preseason action until the final game against the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played well, completing 8 of 10 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Despite his inspiring speech and undefeated preseason, Reed was cut.

Running Back Velus Jones Jr.: Made the Team Jones is transitioning from wide receiver to running back, though he’s still listed as a WR. He had a standout game against the Chiefs, rushing for 111 yards on 13 carries, including a 39-yard touchdown. Jones’s game-breaking speed could be a valuable asset to the Bears’ offense, though his exact role remains to be seen.

Running Back Ian Wheeler: Placed on IR Wheeler, an undrafted rookie who put his medical school plans on hold to pursue an NFL career, suffered a major setback. After showing promise in training camp and nearly scoring a long touchdown against the Chiefs, Ian Wheeler bears injured his knee, leading to a torn ACL. He has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he will miss the entire 2024 NFL season. His journey and injury were particularly poignant, as shown in the episode, with his mother’s emotional reactions adding depth to the narrative.

Defensive Back Adrian Colbert: Cut Colbert, a veteran who has bounced between numerous NFL teams, joined the Bears in 2022 but had limited action due to injury. His time with the Bears came to an end despite a notable performance in the preseason game against the Chiefs, where he had a missed tackle on a long touchdown run but also made some key plays, including forcing a pick-six. The episode highlighted Colbert’s unique pregame ritual with sound bowls and contrasted it with the intense environment of a Bears’ arm wrestling contest involving the father of backup QB, Travis Bagent.

This episode of Hard Knocks provided a heartfelt and detailed look at the personal and professional struggles of players trying to secure their spots on the team, all while their final fates were already decided.