Bear Digest

Chicago Bears look to solve edge rush need with undrafted players

Tracking Bears undrafted signings: Two undrafted free agent edge rushers have reportedly signed with the Bears, including California's Xavier Carlton.
Gene Chamberlain|
Cal's Xavier Carlton comes up with a sack against Wake Forest. Carlton had 19 career sacks and reportedly signed with the Bears.
Cal's Xavier Carlton comes up with a sack against Wake Forest. Carlton had 19 career sacks and reportedly signed with the Bears. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears failed to address edge rusher specifically in the draft and as a result turned their attention to undrafted free agency by signing a few players at the position.

California sack producer Xavier Carlton signed with the Chicago Bears, according to Juaquin Ruiz of the Daily Californian.

Jereme Robinson of Kansas also has signed with the Bears per the school.

Carlton put up excellent numbers as a pass rusher and at 6-foot-6, 275 pounds, is the ideal size for a defensive end in the Ben Johnson defense.

Carlton had nine sacks last season and 19 for his career, 18 of them at Cal for the final three seasons. He had one in his first two seasons at Utah. He knocked down five passes and made 28 tackles for loss.

Likewise, Robinson fits that mold as an edge who is 6-3, 265 pounds. He made 14 sacks in five Kansas seasons and is a former teammate of Bears edge Austin Booker. He made 29 tackles for loss and forced five fumbles.

They also invited another edge player in for a tryout at rookie camp, Virginia Tech's Cole Nelson. Undersized for the scheme at 6-3, 241, Nelson had nine sacks and 17 tackles for loss at Virginia Tech.

They also failed to draft a safety and have no safeties under contract for 2026. However, their undrafted list so far includes LSU's Major Burns and Oregon's Tysheem Johnson.

Burns made two interceptions, nine pass breakups and had 208 tackles at LSU while Johnson had 262 tackles, six interceptions, 16 tackles for loss with 11 pass breakups.

Other undrafted free agents reportedly signed were:

  • J.P. Richardson, WR, TCU (Brad Biggs, Tribune)
  • Power Echols, LB, North Carolina (per school)
  • Jonathan Kim, K, Michigan State (per Kohl's kicking/long snapping camps)
  • Luke Elkin, LS, Iowa (per Kohl's kicking/long snapping camps)
  • Jahdae Walker, WR, Texas A&M (per school)

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.