The Chicago Bears only had one undrafted free agent crack the main roster by the end of training camp in 2025. That honor went to Texas A&M wide receiver Jahdae Walker, who had a great preseason. It proved fortuitous as Walker ended up making one of the most important catches of the season, scoring a touchdown on 4th down to force overtime against Green Bay in December. Head coach Ben Johnson certainly made the right call by keeping him around. It makes one wonder if any undrafted rookies can pass the test this year.
Courtney Cronin of ESPN revealed her roster projection for this coming season. In her estimation, it will be a repeat of last year with only one name crossing the finish line.
“OL (10): Braxton Jones, Joe Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson, Darnell Wright, Logan Jones, Theo Benedet, Luke Newman, Jedrick Wills Jr., Caden Barnett
Trapilo will likely start the season on the PUP list, so that frees up a roster spot. Braxton Jones has the inside track to win the left tackle job in a competition that also features Wills and Kiran Amegadjie. The Bears don’t need to keep all three tackles when Benedet seems primed to be Chicago’s swing tackle, so the final spot on the initial 53-man roster goes to Barnett, the interior lineman who the Bears gave $277,500 in guaranteed money on his UDFA contract.”
Caden Barnett is an obvious favorite. As mentioned above, the amount of money the Bears gave him is a dead giveaway of how much they like him. He’s good-sized and athletic with strong grip strength to help him in pass protection. His nastiness shows up frequently in the run game as well. Seeing him make the roster isn’t difficult, especially with how much the Bears like having a deep offensive line depth chart.
Why just one Chicago Bears undrafted addition is unlikely.
Last year, the team was laden with several proven veterans on the roster. They didn’t really have room to bring in youngsters at the time. That has changed this offseason. Several prominent names departed in free agency, including Kevin Byard, Ryan Bates, D.J. Moore, and Travis Homer. The Bears didn’t spend lavishly to replace them, meaning the competition for roster spots is far more open than it was last year. That is why there should be at least a couple more undrafted rookies who can make a run.
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One example is Coleman Bennett. Though Roschon Johnson is penciled in as the #3 running back behind D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, it can’t be called strong. He’s dealt with injury problems the past couple of years. Depth at running back is key, given how much punishment the position takes. That is why people should keep an eye on Coleman Bennett. The undrafted rookie out of Kennessaw State collected over 1,000 total yards and seven touchdowns in 12 starts, showcasing a good mix of vision and contact balance. He’s a very similar player to Johnson, with a far less weathered body.
Don’t forget long snapper.
Last season, the Chicago Bears had a proven veteran on the job with Scott Daly. However, he departed in free agency for Tampa Bay. That leaves the position uncertain for the first time in several years. Right now, Cronin believes the favorite for the job is Luke Elkin. That makes sense. He’s the most experienced on the roster and has the advantage of a relationship with punter Tory Taylor. The two worked together extensively at Iowa. However, he faces some stiff competition in the form of Beau Gardner. College football’s reigning Patrick Mannelly award winner for best long snapper. There is no reason for him to fear Elkin, who was actually cut by the Bears last season.
One last name to keep an eye on is Jayden Loving. The Bears have been hunting for interior pass rush since last season. Loving flashed tons of capability in that department last season for Wake Forest, collecting 2.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. He’s a great athlete for his position and has the explosiveness to win in the NFL.
So yes, Barnett is the favorite to claim a roster spot as an undrafted rookie. However, there is a good chance he won’t be the only one like Walker was last year.
