Bears Cut DL Jeremiah Ratliff, Add DL Ziggy Hood
By Chris Emma--
(CBS) The Bears have cut veteran defensive lineman Jeremiah Ratliff and added former Steelers and Jaguars defensive lineman Ziggy Hood.
A four-time Pro Bowl nose tackle, the 34-year-old Ratliff had dealt with nagging injuries throughout the 2015 season. He also missed the first three games of the season because of a suspension stemming from a DWI arrest in 2013.
"We felt moving forward without Jeremiah was in the best interest of our team," Bears general manager Ryan Pace said in a statement. "We appreciate his contributions and wish him well. We are also excited to be able to add Ziggy Hood to our roster."
Ratliff and Pace were involved in a heated exchange at Halas Hall on Wednesday, according to Adam Jahns of the Sun-Times. A source confirmed that there was a presence of Lake Forest Police on the scene at the Bears' facility following the incident, though there was no police action taken.
Ratliff had recorded eight tackles on the season.
In Hood, 28, the Bears have added another veteran defensive lineman who has appeared in 96 games and made 46 starts over six seasons. The Missouri product was a first-round pick to the Steelers in 2009. Hood has recorded 164 tackles, 12.5 sacks an 17 tackles for a loss during his career.
The Bears are currently on their bye week, having worked two days at Halas Hall during the week. They next take the field on Nov. 1, hosting the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.
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