6 UDFA rookies that can shake up the Chicago Bears offseason, starting with rookie minicamp
The Chicago Bears kick off rookie minicamp on Friday and it will continue throughout the entire weekend, the team also announced the full list of undrafted free agent signings that will be in attendance.
The Chicago Bears kick off rookie minicamp on Friday, which is the first opportunity to see all seven new draft picks on the field for the first time at Halas Hall. Also in attendance will be the 13 undrafted free agent signings, and other unsigned UDFAs/veterans looking to impress with a tryout.
Looking specifically at the SIGNED undrafted free agents, the Bears have some intriguing talent on display this weekend that the league forgot to draft. General manager Ryan Poles also has experience hitting on UDFAs such as Jack Sanborn, Tyson Bagent, Theo Benedet, and Jahdae Walker. Here’s the full list of players who could join that group.
After looking at that list of 13 players, six specifically stick out that can shake up Chicago’s roster starting this weekend and compete for a roster spot, or at least a practice squad spot, later this offseason. Let’s break them down.
6 UDFA rookies to start monitoring once Chicago Bears rookie minicamp begins
1. Caden Barnett, OL, Wyoming
Much has been discussed about the Vanilla Gorilla, who shockingly went undrafted despite having many fans within the draft community. Caden Barnett landed a deal with the Bears that will pay him $277,500 in total guarantees, including a $30,000 signing bonus. Which is a hefty contract for a UDFA.
Barnett is a promising player that plays with real tenacity to his game. He also brings experience at right guard and right tackle, and could be viewed as a backup option behind Jonah Jackson and Darnell Wright worth keeping on the 53-man roster.
2. Jayden Loving, DT, Wake Forest
Sixth-round defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg will steal a lot of the focus among the interior defensive linemen at rookie minicamp this weekend, but don’t overlook Jayden Loving and the impact he could show in front of the coaching staff.
Like Barnett, Loving secured a really strong contract from the Bears that features $245,000 in total guarantees including a $20,000 signing bonus. Loving is an athletic freak and another rookie that fits the Dennis Allen-type on the interior. With two veterans on one-year deals (Kentavius Street and James Lynch), I could see Loving pushing either of those two for a roster spot and at the very least land a practice squad spot.
3. Skyler Thomas, S, Oregon State
Once again, the players stealing all of the spotlight at this position will be first-round safety Dillon Thieneman. However, I always felt in the back of my mind that the Bears should have considered doubling-up on safety during the draft.
Coby Bryant and Thieneman will be the obvious starters but the only depth behind the two are Cam Lewis, Elijah Hicks, and Gervarrius Owens. Skyler Thomas could stand out this weekend and provide nice competition to that room. Thomas was an experienced player with plenty of versatility and production (leading tackler in B2B seasons with 13 pass deflections across those two seasons).
4. Hayden Large, TE, Iowa
With Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, and third-round rookie Sam Roush locked into a roster spot, it’ll be interesting to see if the Bears keep a fourth tight end. If they do, Hayden Large is a player to watch this weekend as he will eventually be competing against Nikola Kalinic and Stephen Carlson.
Large was an underrated cog of Iowa’s offense and a skilled blocker. He also was a very vocal leader for that locker room. Large even offers H-back versatility for Chicago’s offense. I don’t see the Bears keeping four TEs, but I certainly see Large sticking around in some capacity.
5. Miller Moss, QB, Louisville
Chicago feels really confident about the returning quarterback room featuring Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, and Case Keenum. For the sake of adding a minicamp arm, the Bears signed Miller Moss and will hold a tryout for Maverick McIvor.
Moss is the most intriguing of the two. Early in his college career, he actually served as the backup at USC behind Williams and took over the starting role after Williams was drafted by the Bears before transferring to Louisville. The Tyson Bagent trade rumors continue to swirl and won’t slow down any time soon. Bagent himself said “it’s inevitable” that he will be a starter. It’s good to have a young guy in the building to develop, just in case something happens.
6. Coleman Bennett, RB, Kennesaw State
The Bears exited the draft without a top-ranked running back addition, which was a good sign for D’Andre Swift returning as the RB1 going into the final year of his contract. However, the Bears still needed some competition down the chart at the position behind Swift and Kyle Monangai.
Coleman Bennett will get a crack at showing what he could bring to the table this weekend and maybe it’s enough to push Roschon Johnson and Brittain Brown. To push for the RB3 role, Bennett will have to prove he can be a physical rusher, reliable pass catcher, and offer special teams ability. It’ll be a busy weekend for him if he wants to stick around.
Two more to watch
- KC Eziomume, CB, Tulane – After waiving Zah Frazier, the competition field lowered at the outside CB position. Eziomume has length and ball skills needed to compete.
- Squirrel White, WR, Florida State – The Zavion Thomas selected proved Ben Johnson is looking to add more speed. Squirrel White has plenty of it and could be a PS stash.