The 2022 NFL draft is officially in the books and the Chicago Bears have taken a big step towards filling out their roster.
The Bears selected cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker in Round 2, wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. in Round 3, offensive tackle Braxton Jones and edge rusher Dominique Robinson in Round 5, offensive lineman Zachary Thomas, running back Trestan Ebner and center Doug Kramer in Round 5 and offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter, safety Elijah Hicks and punter Trenton Gill in Round 7.
New general manager Ryan Poles and company also went to town once the draft concluded, inking 20 undrafted free agents, with more likely on the way.
“I will guarantee you there will be some guys from this undrafted free agent process that are going to develop and be good players,” Poles said after the draft.
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Bears Sign 20 UDFAs After 2022 Draft
Poles was asked when the draft concluded what message his scouts will be giving all UDFAs, and he gave a straightforward answer.
“Competition. Come and compete,” Poles said. “Opportunity. It’s a fresh set of eyes, both front office and coaching staff willing to develop everyone. There’s no bias, there’s no nothing. We’re just gonna make sure that the best players are on the field, and that should mean a lot. But it is a crazy process.”
Here’s a list of the UDFAs Chicago has inked so far:
- Jean Delance, OL, Florida
- Tristen Taylor, OT, Eastern Washington
- C.J. Avery, LB, Louisville
- Jaylen Alexander, LB, Purdue
- Jack Sanborn, ILB, Wisconsin
- Christian Albright, OLB, Ball State
- Henry Litwin, WR, Slippery Rock
- Savon Scarver, WR, Utah State
- Kevin Shaa, WR, Liberty
- Cyrus Holder, WR, Duquesne
- Luke Little, WR, University of Mary
- Landon Lenoir, WR, Southern Illinois
- Master Teague, RB, Ohio State
- Jonathan Alexander, S, Charlotte
- Jaylon Jones, CB, Mississippi
- Allie Green, CB, Missouri
- Derick Bush, CB, Coastal Carolina
- Chase Allen, TE, Iowa State
- Jake Tonges, TE, Cal
- Micah Dew-Treadway, DL, Minnesota
Amongst those names, a few stand out, including Teague, who played with Bears quarterback Justin Fields for two years at Ohio State in 2019 and 2020 and Sanborn, who had several standout seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers, receiving All-Big Ten First Team honors in 2021.
Teague averaged 5.5 yards per carry in his four seasons with the Buckeyes, rushing for 1,764 and 17 touchdowns — and he seems excited to show what he can do in Chicago.
Man!! Thanks to the Lord above! Appreciate all those that have gotten me to this point in my career! Grateful to be a @ChicagoBears!! Stomach is growling, I will not be denied!
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Bears Bringing in More UDFAs for Rookie Minicamp
The Bears are also bringing several players in for tryouts at rookie minicamp, which will be held from May 6-8. Here’s a list of the players the Bears have invited so far, as compiled by Windy City Gridiron:
- Roy Baker, CB, Eastern Kentucky
- Elijah James, DL, Liberty
- Johnny Huntley, TE, Liberty
- Kainoa Fuiava, DL, Western Michigan
- Tre Bugg, DB, Air Force
- Coney Durr, DB, Minnesota
- Drew Plitt, QB, Ball State
- Antonio Ortiz, LS, TCU
- Ezekiel Barnett, LB, Louisiana Tech
- Joshua Black, DL, Syracuse
- Matthew Coghlin, K, Michigan State
- De’Montre Tuggle, RB, Ohio
- Jamal Brooks, LB, South Alabama
It early in the process, so both of these lists are likely to grow in the coming days. We’ll keep you posted.
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Bears Sign Pool of UDFAs, Including Justin Fields’ Ex-Teammate