The Chicago Bears assembled their initial 53-man roster on Sunday, where there were some difficult cuts and decisions. But there were also some pleasant surprises, especially among undrafted rookies.
After last year's draft class (and undrafted class) and produced some key contributors including tight end Colston Loveland, receivers Luther Burden III and Jahdae Walker, running back Kyle Monangai and offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo, this year's class has the potential to be another impactful one with the emergences of safety Dillon Thieneman, receiver Zavion Thomas, tight end Sam Roush, cornerback Malik Muhammad and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg.
But there are also some impressive outings from this year's undrafted rookies that resulted in four
of them making the initial 53-man cut. Here's a look:
LS Beau Gardner
Beau Gardner was already expected to make the 53-man roster after beating out first-year pro Luke Elkin for the starting long snapper job a few weeks ago in training camp. Gardner is coming off six seasons in college and won the Patrick Mannelly Award as the nation's top long snapper last season. With the Bears opting to move on from veteran Scott Daly, it opened the door for an undrafted rookie like Gardner to take advantage of his opportunity.
TE Hayden Large
The undrafted rookie tight end garnered the interest of head coach Ben Johnson during the pre-draft process. Hayden Large spent the last three seasons at Iowa, where he played in 38 games, including 12 starts, where he was a contributor both in the passing and running game. Large was a standout during the offseason, but he suffered an injury during training camp that's expected to land him on injured reserve to start the 2026 season. Still, it's clear that Chicago has high hopes for Large in this offense.
DT Jayden Loving
There's been a lot of discussion about sixth-round rookie Jordan van den Berg, but undrafted defensive tackle Jayden Loving has also made waves during training camp and the preseason -- and it was enough to earn him a spot on the initial 53-man roster. Loving is physical, athletic and disruptive, and that showed during the preseason, where he totaled two tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a pass defended in the preseason finale against the Titans. We'll see how Loving factors into the defensive line rotation, but there's no denying the Bears fell in love with him this summer.
S Skyler Thomas
With so many questions at safety with Coby Bryant expected to miss most of the season, it allowed the perfect opportunity for Skyler Thomas to prove himself and earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Thomas impressed throughout training camp and the preseason, where he showcased his vision, coverage skills and ability to stop the run. He was even running with the starters during practice. The fact that Thomas is still in the early developmental stages of the NFL, his impressive start is encouraging for the future and how he could factor into this secondary.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 4 undrafted rookies made Chicago Bears' initial 53-man roster
