Bears’ Recently Cut DT Zacch Pickens Will Work Out for Chiefs

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Bears general manager Ryan Poles.

A recently released Chicago Bears draft bust will have an opportunity to earn a roster spot with the Super Bowl-contending Kansas City Chiefs this week.

According to The Kansas City Star’s Sam McDowell, the Chiefs will host former Bears third-round defensive tackle Zacch Pickens on Thursday for a roster workout that will also include edge rushers Ethan Downs and Tyreke Smith and safety Jammie Robinson.

Pickens, a 2023 third-round pick, failed to make the Bears’ initial 53-man roster this week after vying for a depth role with their defensive interior during training camp. He played 26 games and registered 39 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his first two seasons, but he struggled to win a consistent role, even when injuries impacted Chicago’s availability.

Pickens is likely a candidate for the Chiefs’ practice squad, though they already have two interior defensive linemen signed between Marlon Tuipulotu and Coziah Izzard. Then again, rookie Omarr Norman-Lott’s status remains in doubt for Week 1 because of an injury, which could prompt the Chiefs to sign additional interior reinforcements.

Zacch Pickens Lost Role After Bears’ IDL Upgrades

Pickens lost his roster spot with the Bears, in part, because of his own shortcomings, but he also faced a challenging road trying to win a role with their 2025 rotation.

The Bears made meaningful improvements to their defensive interior in the offseason, signing former Pro Bowl veteran Grady Jarrett to a three-year contract and selecting Texas A&M standout Shemar Turner in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft. They also retained Chris Williams as a restricted free agent, giving themselves a deep group from top to bottom with Gervon Dexter Sr. and Andrew Billings returning as well.

That worked to Pickens’ disadvantage. Jarrett, Dexter, Billings and Turner all had built-in roster security that would have made it difficult for him to surpass them on the depth chart, putting him in a situation where he needed to win the one and only up-for-grabs spot in the rotation or be relegated to the waiver wire during the cutdown deadline.

Unfortunately for Pickens, the Bears decided they liked what they had in Williams — who stood out in a rotational role in 2024 — more and moved on from him anyway.

Will Bears’ Improved Interior Help Boost Pass Rush?

The Bears made some necessary upgrades to their defensive line for the 2025 season, including signing former Indianapolis Colts veteran defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.

Will their hard work pay off when it comes to their pass rush in 2025, though?

The Bears have some higher-quality pieces in place to rush the passer in 2025, but they are also gambling on their personnel in more ways than one. Jarrett is an experienced veteran and leader, but he hasn’t made the Pro Bowl since 2020 and took a big step backward in 2024. Meanwhile, Billings is coming off a season-ending pectoral injury.

The Bears are also not yet sure when Turner will be ready to contribute. They have high hopes for his eventual contributions on defense, but he suffered an ankle injury in the team’s first camp practice in July and has not returned to the practice field yet, casting doubt on whether he will be available to play for the team in Week 1’s season opener.

Even if Turner does get the green light, the Bears might show patience when it comes to getting him involved, as he missed all of camp and needs time to catch up physically.

One other positive is the arrival of Dennis Allen as the team’s new defensive architect. Allen’s style relies heavily on blitzing and pressuring opposing passers and wreaking havoc in the trenches. If his scheme manages to unlock a new gear in some of the Bears’ returning defensive linemen, the pass rush could become a strength for them in 2025.

Jordan J. Wilson is a sports reporter who covers the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. He has previously covered all levels of sports — high school, college and pro — for a variety of publications including The Indianapolis Star, The News-Gazette, Springfield State-Journal Register and Peoria Journal Star. More about Jordan J. Wilson