The Bears will have a new long-snapper in Oakland on Sunday afternoon, but that man won't be Jake Laptad. After agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with Jake Laptad on Tuesday, the former practice squad player struggled in practice on Wednesday and led the Bears to release him nearly as quickly as he joined the fray.
In a tandem move, the team signed veteran long-snapper Chris Massey, who has played in 135 games over nine season with the St. Louis Rams fro 2002-2010. Massey is a seventh-round draft pick out of Marshall, and most recently spent one week with the Carolina Panthers this season after being released by the Rams in the offseason.
Clearly the Bears are looking for a smooth transition after an ACL injury to 14-year veteran long-snapper Patrick Mannelly in Week 11 against the Chargers, and the move to fellow veteran Chris Massey apparently gives them the best chance to make that happen on the road.
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