Undrafted free agency doesn’t get the same pomp and circumstance that the NFL draft does. However, experts who understand will argue that it’s just as important. After all, there are more undrafted players in the Hall of Fame than #1 overall picks. It matters. The Chicago Bears have enjoyed some success in this area in recent years under GM Ryan Pace. Two his biggest highlights were cornerback Bryce Callahan and defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris.
Last year they signed 22 players but only one managed to make the roster in Alex Bars. No doubt they’re hoping 2020 will be a little more lucrative for them. To date, they’ve signed just eight players, but a few of them come with a lot of intrigue and upside. Here is who they are and what they might bring to the table.
Chicago Bears UDFA class is small but not lacking talent
Ledarius Mack (EDGE, Buffalo)
The younger brother of Khalil Mack. Looking at bloodlines is never a bad idea. Obviously Ledarius didn’t get near the hype his superstar sibling did but that isn’t because he’s bad at football. The younger Mack didn’t start playing the game until his freshman year of college. He went to a community college to start, earned a shot at Buffalo, started as an inside linebacker, then moved to defensive end where he went from two sacks in 2018 to eight in 2019. His rapid improvement is pretty remarkable and a good sign for the future.
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Dieter Eiselen (OG, Yale)
A native of South Africa, Eiselen seems like a guy made for football. He played rugby in his youth and was an Olympic weightlifter. He went from that to the starting guard for two-time Ivy League champion Yale. Coaches laud his work ethic. When watching him on tape, two things quickly stand out. His power and his nastiness. This guy loves to destroy defenders. The primary concern with him is his feet. Evaluators worry they’re too slow to handle NFL speed. This would make him a curious fit for the Bears, but they must see things differently.
Ahmad Wagner (WR, Kentucky)
Wagner is an interesting case. He only played one season for Kentucky as a big wide receiver (6’5, 234 lbs) and finished with 254 yards and two touchdowns. So he is much more of a projection that normal players. There were definite flashes of brilliance on the field. He’s a good athlete who can go up and get the football. He just might be too slow for receiver. This is why expectations are the Bears will convert him to tight end where he’s a far better fit. If he puts in the time, belief is he car be a starter down the road.
Trevon McSwain (DE, Duke)
The Bears always tend to find intriguing defensive linemen on the undrafted market. McSwain is the latest example. He’s a big dude at 6’6, 285 lbs, and comes across as a quick and explosive. He also delivered his fair share of pancakes on offensive linemen from time to time. So there’s a latent power in that frame too. McSwain had four sacks and four forced fumbles in 2019. There are enough snapshots of a good football player in there. Can Jay Rodgers coax it out of him consistently?
Rashad Smith (LB, FAU)
Depth at inside linebackers took a big hit this year with Nick Kwiatkoski and Kevin Pierre-Louis leaving in free agency. Smith should help with that. While considered average as an athlete, he made up for it at Florida Atlantic with intelligence, instinct, and a relentless drive. In his three years as a starter, he racked up 280 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and six interceptions. He’ll need to make noise on special teams to get noticed.
Artavis Pierce (RB, Oregon State)
Undersized and lacking any special trait, Pierce was more of a jack-of-all-trades player at Oregon State. He averaged a gaudy 5.8 yards per carry in four years, showing good acceleration and strength to run through tackles. He also stood out as a pass catcher with 74 receptions for 578 yards. The primary concern with him is vision. He was indecisive with a number of his runs. Perhaps the Bears feel he can overcome that.
Badara Traore (OT, LSU)
At 6’6, 340 lbs, Traore is a monster of a man. It’s also never a bad thing coming from a football factory like LSU. His journey to get there was long, including stops at two different junior colleges. He grew up in a tough area of Boston. So he’s no stranger to difficulty. Traore didn’t start a lot of games for the Tigers so he comes in quite raw. He has plenty of technical shortcomings that popped up often on tape. This is a pure developmental move by the Bears.
Lacale London (DL, Western Illinois)
Gil Brandt considered him the 18th-best available interior defensive lineman out of 24 when the draft ended. A native of Peoria, Illinois it seems almost like a no brainer that he’d choose to stay closer to the home by taking an opportunity with the Bears. He is a big kid at 6’5, 300 lbs and had some flashes on tape, particularly against the run. He had a big play in the NFLPA Bowl when he forced a fumble. It’s hard to see him making his way onto the roster but there might be something there.
