This browser does not support the Video element.
Bears get lots of prime-time love, post-draft power rankings & latest on Vikings GM search | 1st & North
On this episode of "1st & North:" The Bears get the post draft power ranking crown, but could face a brutal schedule next season while Detroit gets set to rebuild their O-Line. The Packers prove Jordan Love is a big draw for coaches, and the Vikings drop to #28 in their pre-season power rankings.
The Chicago Bears have moved on from a 2025 NFL Draft selection before he even appeared in a game with the team.
The Bears waived defensive back 2025 fifth-round pick Zah Frazier on Thursday.
What we know:
Frazier missed the entire 2025 NFL season due to personal reasons. Bears general manager Ryan Poles said on Aug. 26 that Frazier would begin the season on the non-football injury list and would not play in 2025.
It was expected that Frazier would be back for the 2026 offseason programs and try to earn a spot on the Bears' roster.
"I had a good conversation with him. He'll be back going into this offseason like everybody else," Poles said on Jan. 21 about Frazier. "He feels like he's in a really good place to develop and move forward."
That did not materialize, and the Bears are moving forward without Frazier.
The Bears traded up to select defensive back Malik Muhammad with a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The team was bullish on Muhammad's versatility and potential to play in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's system.
The Bears were the same with Frazier's, citing his length and speed when they drafted him out of UTSA with a fifth-round pick. Now, the Bears won't get to see that materialize.
What's next:
The Bears begin rookie minicamp on Friday, and will get a chance to see Muhammad in action. Frazier's departure lightens the depth in the cornerback room and makes it more likely for Muhammad to secure a rotational spot in the cornerback room.
Frazier always faced an uphill climb with the Bears while missing the entire season's worth of development.
"He's got a mountain to climb just for missing so much ball he needed to play," Poles said. "That'll be up to him to be able to get himself in the right position to compete for a roster spot."
If Frazier wants to compete for a roster spot, it will have to be with another team. The Bears were open to giving him a chance to return after working through his personal situations. It remains to be seen what changed with the Bears between January and May before the next phase of the offseason program was set to begin.