The Chicago Bears knew they had several roster spots to fill even after free agency ended. With only seven picks in the draft, that meant one thing. They were likely going to be aggressive in undrafted free agency, hoping to land some camp bodies and potential hidden gems. All told, the Bears signed 14 such players and brought in several others for tryouts. There is a lot of intrigue going into training camp about who, if anybody, might emerge to impress the coaching staff and crack the roster.
Right now, the primary assumption is that these kids will be fighting for practice squad spots. That makes sense since the Bears are a playoff team and don’t have widespread needs. Still, we see it every year. At least one or two unsung rookies emerge to unseat a veteran for a roster spot. Here are five names with the best chance to do exactly last this summer.
The Chicago Bears have some intriguing options this year.
#5 – Hayden Large (TE, Iowa)
This comes down to whether the Bears want to carry three or four tight ends. They’re already locked in with Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, and 3rd round pick Sam Roush. Adding a fourth depends on whether the player in question offers something different. In the case of Large, he frequently played the H-back position for Iowa, meaning he can play both fullback and tight end. For a run-first team like the Bears, that could prove useful, especially to a mad scientist like Ben Johnson.
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#4 – Jayden Loving (DL, Wake Forest)
One would think a defensive tackle doesn’t have great odds of making the roster after the Bears added four of them between free agency and the draft. Neville Gallimore and 6th round pick Jordan Van Den Berg are likely locks. That means Loving would have to beat out veterans Kentavius Street and James Lynch, among others, to make the roster. That might be asking too much, but the young man had a breakthrough last season with 2.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for a loss. His ability to penetrate the backfield is something this team is looking for. All he has to do is show it on the practice field.
#3 – Coleman Bennett (RB, Kennesaw State)
D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai aren’t going anywhere. That means Bennett must battle Roschon Johnson, Brittain Brown, and Deion Hankins to earn that third spot. Here’s something to remember, though. Swift and Johnson are in the last year of their contracts. The Chicago Bears may wish to add somebody they can keep long-term. Bennett looked really good at Kennesaw State, showcasing a mix of power, contact balance, and vision as a runner. He’s also not a bad pass-catcher, too. Hankins is coming off an injury. The window is there for the rookie to make some noise.
#2 – Skyler Thomas (S, Oregon State)
The Bears had to rebuild the safety position almost from scratch with Coby Bryant and Dillon Thieneman as the new starters. Elijah Hicks should remain as a special teams ace, while Cam Lewis was added in free agency as a versatile defensive back. Thomas built a reputation in college as a big safety with a knack for covering tight ends and bigger wide receivers. On top of that, he was good on special teams as well. These qualities should appeal to the Bears coaching staff as they look to add quality depth in those two phases.
#1 – Caden Barnett (OG, Wyoming)
Follow the money, as they say. The Bears made Barnett one of the highest-paid undrafted free agents in the league this year. That was the first indication that they already liked him a lot. He’s a tough, nasty, physical guard with enough athleticism to play in space. His strength is up to par as well. Chicago endured some injury problems on the offensive line last year, mainly with their reserves, including backup guard Luke Newman. Coach Johnson likely would prefer to add more depth along the interior as insurance.
