Paul Lasike signs with Bears practice squad

Paul Lasike celebrates a touchdown in pre-season while playing for Arizona. Photo / AP

New Zealand NFL player Paul Lasike is heading to Chicago.

Lasike was cut from the Arizona Cardinals at the weekend, but the Bears have announced they have signed him to their practice team.

Lasike - who can play fullback and running back - caught a touchdown pass in the Cardinals' last pre-season game on Saturday but didn't make the side's 53-man roster for the upcoming season and was placed on waivers.

The Bears picked up him today and signed the 25-year-old to their practice squad.

It means he can practice with the Bears but won't be an official member of the team. But he will have a chance for a call-up if one of the Bears' four running back suffers an injury or poor form.

The Bears play in the NFC North and open the season against the Green Bay Packers on Monday.

Lasike attended Northland College and Church College before playing rugby at Brigham Young University in Utah, eventually being picked up by the college football team.

He was unselected in the 2015 NFL draft before catching on with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent.

Last week, Lasike told Radio Sport he was surprised to have made it this far.

"It's crazy to think how far I've come, and that I've been able to make it down to the last wire."

"I'm trying to keep the faith high, but it's going to be hard."

Lasike said it "was hard to think I'm not going to get cut."