The Bears reinstated rookie running back Napoleon Maxwell on Monday and placed first-year cornerback Michael Joseph on the injured reserve.
Maxwell originally signed with the Bears on May 7 as an undrafted free agent from Florida International and remained with the team until it was canceled on August 2. Maxwell has rushed for 2,090 yards and 22 touchdowns on 392 carries in 45 games in four college seasons.
After appearing six games as a rookie in 2014, the 6-foot, 215-pounder missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons with ripped ACLs before returning to 2017. Maxwell has played all 13 games in each of the past three years, totaling 477 yards. and five touchdowns in 2017, 684 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018 and 675 yards and nine touchdowns last season.
Joseph joined the Bears in 2018 as an undrafted free agent from Dubuque. After spending most of the last two seasons on the practice squad, he was added to the 53-man roster for the final two weeks of last season, but saw no match action.
