The Chicago Bears have already constructed a highly talented tight end room, but in the NFL it is hard to argue that a team can ever have too much of a good thing.
With that sentiment as context, Harrison Graham of “Chicago Bears Now” on Saturday, June 20 named undrafted rookie free agent tight end Hayden Large out of Iowa as a sleeper candidate to make the 53-man roster come final cut down day at the end of August.
“As far as another sleeper … I think, like, Hayden Large — the tight end out of Iowa who is kind of like a fullback hybrid,” Graham said. “If they’re gonna really lean into 12 and 13 personnel, having that guy as a fourth tight end that you can also line up in the backfield I think makes sense. He can play all of the special teams units, too, so keep an eye on him.”
Bears Pinpointed Hayden Large as Target Before NFL Draft
GettyHead coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
Large stands at six-feet, four-inches tall, weighs 250 pounds and tested out as incredibly athletic for his size/position. He is an experienced rookie at 24 years old.
The Hawkeyes have been a tight end factory for the pros, putting out high-profile names like Dallas Clark, George Kittle, TJ Hockenson and Sam LaPorta.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who was the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions when that team drafted LaPorta in 2023, spoke about Large during rookie minicamp in May. Johnson noted the team had its eye on Large prior to the draft, and that he kept Chicago’s attention even after the Bears selected TE Sam Roush in Round 3.
“He was one of the guys we identified, well before the draft, that he’s a player we really liked,” Johnson said. “I actually called him and let him know that we had a vision for him. When you take a tight end in the third round, you’re kind of like, ‘Ah shoot, that might take us away from Hayden coming here.’ And yet, he didn’t bat an eye. This is where he wanted to be, and to me that speaks volumes about how he’s wired.”
Bears Have Among Best Tight End Groups in NFL
GettyChicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet.
If Large makes the roster in Chicago, he will join a stacked group led by Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet and Roush.
Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network dubbed the Bears’ tight end room the top unit in the league heading into 2026 given the level of investment Johnson and company have made to build it out.
“Though the [Los Angeles] Rams have the deeper room … the Chicago Bears have the superior star power at the top. They used a lot more 12 personnel with Ben Johnson becoming their head coach in 2025, jumping from No. 19 in terms of usage rate all the way up to No. 6,” Infante wrote. “[Roush] was a dominant blocker in college who ranked fifth in the FBS in receptions, receiving yards and PFN CFB TE Impact Scoring.”
“Bringing [Roush] into a Bears offense that already has a top-tier tight end tandem [Loveland and Kmet] gives Chicago an overpowered group at the position,” Infante continued.
Versatile Playmaker with Strong Pedigree ‘Sleeper’ to Make Bears’ Final Roster