Bears sign TE Sam Roush to rookie deal, wrap up 2026 draft class

The Bears have signed tight end Sam Roush to his four-year rookie deal, the team announced on Friday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that the deal will be worth $7.35 million over the course of Roush’s four seasons. The signing of Roush, the No. 69 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, m

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The Bears have signed tight end Sam Roush to his four-year rookie deal, the team announced on Friday.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that the deal will be worth $7.35 million over the course of Roush’s four seasons. The signing of Roush, the No. 69 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, marks the Bears’ final rookie contract having been finalized for the 2026 season.

Roush, a second-team All-ACC member for Stanford in 2025, had the fifth-highest PFN TE Impact Score in the FBS last season

at 83.9. His 49 receptions marked the fifth-most among all tight ends, as did his 545 receiving yards. Leading up to the draft, he put together a 9.94 Relative Athletic Score, which was the highest of all tight ends eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft.

With Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet in the picture, Roush projects as more of a blocking tight end in 13 personnel packages for the Bears going into his rookie year. However, with his collegiate production, his athletic profile, and his tenacity as an in-line blocker, there’s reason to believe he’ll play a bigger role in Chicago’s offense going forward.