The Chicago Bears are keeping an undrafted rookie defensive tackle on their initial 53-man roster after trading away former starter and second-round pick Gervon Dexter Sr. in a cut-day twist ahead of August 30’s NFL deadline.
After a busy Sunday of roster decisions before the cutdown deadline, the Bears officially announced their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 NFL season along with the cuts and injury moves they made to reduce down from 90 players they had in camp.
One of the key moves of the day for Chicago came when the team shipped Dexter — who tallied a career-high six sacks in 2025 — to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for cornerback Clark Phillips III and a 2027 fifth-round draft pick. Rumors had emerged last week that teams had inquired about a trade for Dexter ahead of his contract year.
A more surprising move, however, came later when the Bears opted to keep undrafted rookie defensive tackle Jayden Loving on their initial 53-man roster in Dexter’s place.
Bears Reward Jayden Loving After Strong 2026 Preseason
The Bears had hinted at the potential that they saw in Loving in the spring when they included $245,000 in total guarantees in his three-year UDFA contract, but the 23-year-old making the roster is a next-level reward — one that he earned this summer.
After impressive scouts in the offseason with his speed and elite athleticism (9.93 RAS), Loving went to work trying to earn an in-season roster spot with the Bears in what was a crowded defensive tackle room. Even as fellow rookie Jordan van den Berg drew the most buzz throughout camp, Loving kept finding ways to stay relevant.
For instance, Loving recorded the first strip-sack of his NFL career in the Bears’ preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans when he rolled up on backup Hendon Hooker. He also had two tackles for loss and two pass breakups in three preseason games.
Now, Loving’s quest advances to earning playing time. The Bears have four other defensive tackles vying for reps in their interior defensive line rotation, including veterans Grady Jarrett, Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street. Van den Berg will also expectedly push for immediate snaps coming off an impressive rookie preseason.
Not a bad start for the rookie Loving, though.
Bears Keep 3 UDFA Signings on Initial 53-Man Roster
Loving’s presence on the initial 53-man roster stands out in light of the Dexter trade, but he was not the only undrafted rookie to parlay a strong camp into a roster spot.
The Bears also kept safety Skyler Thomas and tight end Hayden Large on the roster from their 2026 UDFA class, a moderate success for their scouting department.
Thomas is the fifth safety in the rotation on the Bears’ current roster, but the team will most likely place veteran Coby Bryant on the injured reserve list in the coming days now that they have carried him onto the initial 53-man squad. Bryant suffered a severe knee injury early in camp and is in danger of missing the entire 2026 season with it.
Large is a little more surprising. The Bears have a reliable three-tight end rotation with Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet and third-round rookie Sam Roush, but Large’s retention opens more doors for Ben Johnson’s run-heavy, tight end-favoring system. While that may require Large to block more than anything else, it is an opportunity for him.
Bears Undrafted Rookie DT Makes Roster After Gervon Dexter Trade