The Chicago Bears have changed their minds about one of their priority UDFA signings after inking him to a partially guaranteed contract in the spring.
In a series of August 17 roster moves, the Bears officially waived undrafted rookie running back Coleman Bennett following his NFL debut in their preseason opener.
Bennett signed a three-year, $3.12 million UDFA contract with the Bears in May after going undrafted out of Kennesaw State. Per Over the Cap, Chicago gave him $145,000 in total guarantees — the fifth most among its UDFAs — and a $20,000 signing bonus.
Guaranteed money is not a promise that an undrafted rookie will receive a roster spot, but it does suggest that the player had interest from multiple teams on the post-draft market. In Bennett’s case, another team could claim him off waivers rather quickly.
Bennett did not play until the Bears’ final series of their 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns last weekend, but he netted 10 rushing yards on four carries and punched in a 3-yard touchdown to cap off the seven-play drive. He also accidentally plowed into a sideline microphone operator on his score while twisting for the pylon.
Bennett will become an unrestricted free agent again if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
Coleman Bennett Seemed to Have Shot at RB Role
Bennett didn’t exactly make waves with his performance against the Browns, but it is still a little surprising to see him cut loose after the Bears’ preseason-opening win.
The Bears have a reliable one-two punch in their backfield with veteran D’Andre Swift and 2025 rookie breakout Kyle Monangai, but the No. 3 role in their running back room appears up for grabs over the final few weeks of training camp. The team may also need to lean on that third back early in the season, as Monangai is dealing with a knee injury.
Bennett seemed to have a chance to crack the rotation when the Bears originally signed him as an undrafted rookie. While he had played only one season at Kennesaw State, he had amassed more than 1,000 scrimmage yards for the Owls in 2025, rushing for 764 yards and four touchdowns and adding another 314 yards and three scores as a receiver.
Where Bennett — who is 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds — may have fallen short in Chicago is his pass protection. Bears head coach Ben Johnson emphasized that special teams value will be critical for backs looking to secure roster spots, but he also wants them to block.
“And then pass protection, how do we continue to improve?” Johnson said Saturday. “When you’re a little bit smaller as a running back … that’s always what I’m looking for is, how well, how stout are we holding up to a blitzing linebacker as well (at blocking).”
Is Roschon Johnson the Bears’ Frontrunner for RB3?
While Bennett is no longer in the race, the Bears have three other running backs who played against the Browns last Saturday in contention for the RB3 role on their roster.
Is Roschon Johnson still the Bears’ frontrunner to make the team, though?
Johnson, a 2023 fourth-round pick, has experienced a somewhat confounding career in Chicago over the past three seasons. He impressed as both a runner and receiver in his limited role as a rookie, tallying 352 rushing yards, 209 receiving yards and two scores.
Rather than hand Johnson more carries in 2024, though, the Bears signed Swift to a three-year, $24 million contract to become their new starter and pushed their former draft pick into a short-yardage/goal-line role. To his credit, Johnson still managed to do some damage, scoring six touchdowns and gaining 17 first downs on 55 carries, but the Bears seemed to have grown less inclined to use him as one of their primary rushers.
Things only got worse for Johnson in 2025. With a new coaching staff in town, Johnson missed a significant portion of training camp with a foot injury that put him behind the eight ball in the running back competition. He then played in only seven games, in part due to the foot injury that landed him on the injured reserve list in November.
Johnson received more carries than the other in-contention backs — Brittain Brown and Salvon Ahmed — during the preseason win over the Browns, but it seems fair to question whether the Bears want to keep Johnson, given how he has fallen out of favor.
Bears Cut Ties With Rookie Who Signed Partially Guaranteed Deal