Three predictions for the Chicago Bears rookie class, including how involved the trio of offensive Day 2 selections will be
The Chicago Bears will have seven new rookie draft picks joining the roster in 2026, but not everyone is going to be an immediate starter right off the jump.
The Chicago Bears added seven new rookie draft picks to the roster during the 2026 NFL Draft and the main theme with that group is building toward the future on both sides of the ball.
First-round safety Dillon Thieneman is really the only one of the seven with a clear path toward a starting position as a rookie as he’s set to line up alongside Coby Bryant in the secondary. As for the other six, they’ll still see some action in Year 1, but likely not as immediate staters.
Let’s break down the class a tad more by throwing out three predictions for how we see the rookies performing during their first season in Chicago.
Three predictions for the Chicago Bears rookie class
1. Sam Roush out-snaps Logan Jones and Zavion Thomas on offense
The Bears made a trio of Day 2 selections, all on the offensive side of the ball, and all three picks were viewed as controversial decisions. Head coach Ben Johnson, however, felt strongly about all three players and what they can eventually bring to his offense.
Eventually is the key word. Center Logan Jones will likely begin his first season in the NFL as a backup behind veteran Garrett Bradbury before taking over the starting job. Tight end Sam Roush will be behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet on the depth chart. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas will have limited opportunities as the WR 4/5.
Of the three, I see Roush ending the 2026 season with the most offensive snaps. The Bears will run a high dose of 12 and 13 personnel looks using 2/3 tight ends. That’ll give Roush plenty of opportunities to get on the field, but his impact might be minimal to the casual audience.
Roush is set to take over the Durham Smythe role as the blocking in-line tight end. He’s going to be the dirty work player for this offense, but I still can see Johnson cooking up some play-action targets for his new rookie as well.
2. Malik Muhammad wins the starting outside CB job opposite Jaylon Johnson
I will be predicting that another rookie, other than Thieneman, wins a starting job on defense. The last remaining spot up for grabs this summer will be the second outside cornerback spot opposite Jaylon Johnson.
The players vying for that starting role are Tyrique Stevenson, Zah Frazier, Terell Smith, and fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad. Stevenson is in the pole position given his starting experience over the last few years, but the staff also wasn’t too high on him as the 2025 season progressed. Frazier missed his entire rookie season due to a personal matter and has a lot of ground to make up. Smith is coming off a torn Achilles.
Predicting Muhammad wins the job isn’t that wild of a take to make. The Bears traded up to draft this guy for a reason. They love what he brings from a coverage standpoint and with his speed. This guy is also ready for big-time moments and rose to the occasion in big games while at Texas.
3. Keyshaun Elliott pushes Ruben Hyppolite II off the roster
Dennis Allen completely revamped his linebacker position this offseason after adding a new starter in Devin Bush to replace Tremaine Edmunds and re-signing D’Marco Jackson to a more lucrative deal. Chicago also reunited with Jack Sanborn in free agency.
That process alone already gave Chicago a solid linebacker core to work with. In the draft, Allen wanted to add another just for good measure in Keyshaun Elliott. Elliott was a standout leader for Arizona State but will have to wait out his opportunity with the Bears.
In the short-term, I easily see Elliott beating out 2025 fourth-round pick Ruben Hyppolite II for a roster spot as the LB5. Elliott brings a lot more upside to the table and I think the Bears already decided Hyppolite was a mistake after one season.