The Chicago Bears have gotten great looks at their 2026 draft class for the past month. Dillon Thieneman has rapidly matured at safety, becoming an athletic defender on the back end that they badly needed. Logan Jones had his best preseason performance to date in Cincinnati, settling into his role as backup and eventual successor to Garrett Bradbury. Tight end Sam Roush has lived up to his blocking reputation and even delivered some nice pass-catching moments. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas has popped a few times in practice, while 4th-round cornerback Malik Muhammad has put in tons of work at nickel.
By far the biggest story, though, is Jordan Van Den Berg. The 6th round defensive tackle has gone from minor fringe storyline to headline act in a matter of weeks. He has dominated drills in training camp and delivered two strong preseason performances. He’s already getting work with the starters. All in all, there is plenty to be excited about.
However, all of it comes with an asterisk. One of the Bears’ picks has been absent throughout it all. That is the 5th-round pick, Keyshaun Elliott. The linebacker suffered a back injury in the spring that landed him on the PUP list. He missed the past three weeks of camp. Nobody mentioned him. Thankfully, good news finally broke.
The Chicago Bears haven’t rolled out the welcome mat.
The Bears don’t have many linebacker spots to spare. They already have three locked up: D’Marco Jackson, Devin Bush, and T.J. Edwards, likely assuming the starting roles. That could leave only two remaining spots. Jack Sanborn is likely to take one of them given his experience and versatility, having played both outside and middle linebacker. This means Elliott is up against Ruben Hyppolite and special teams specialists Tony Fields and Jon Rhattigan for that final spot. That is a big problem.
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After all, while Elliott has been out, those two have participated in most of training camp. Hyppolite had a really strong performance against Cleveland in the preseason. If not for his shoulder injury, he would be the favorite for that spot. Unless the Bears plan to carry six linebackers, these next few days are critical for Elliott. He must get up to speed in practice as quickly as possible. The joint practice against Tennessee this week and the preseason finale could be decisive in his fate.
Right now, only draft status may save him.
Cutting a draft pick mere months after selecting him is not something teams usually prefer doing, especially in the 5th round or higher. A player either has to be really bad in camp or, in Elliott’s case, unavailable while others get the time to make an impression. It is possible the Chicago Bears decide to keep him, hoping that their draft evaluations were correct and he’ll develop into a quality piece on defense and special teams. At the same time, this approach runs counter to their credo of letting players earn their spots. Draft status alone should not protect you.
It’s not uncommon for late-round picks to get cut the same year they’re drafted. Just look at 2024. Three different teams cut 5th rounders they’d just selected months ago. This roster is much more competitive than previous versions in Bears history. It doesn’t show much leniency for guys who aren’t available. If not for his contract, Kyler Gordon probably would’ve been cut already after last season. This is why Elliott needs to operate with urgency.
