Bear Digest

Bears undrafted free agent duo tabbed by GM as roster challengers

The Bears GM specifically points to two undrafted players at a position he failed to address in the draft as potential roster challengers.
Gene Chamberlain|
Oregon safety Tysheem Johnson gets an arm on Purdue running back Reggie Love III.
Oregon safety Tysheem Johnson gets an arm on Purdue running back Reggie Love III. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

In this story:

Chicago Bears

The Bears normally say very little about the undrafted free agent rookies they sign until after their rookie camp.

They hadn't acknowledged any officially until Thursday when GM Ryan Poles commented specifically on a pair of them while he made an appearance on AM-1000's Kap & J.Hood Show.

The two he acknowledged signing are also a pair he didn't mind saying could actually challenge for a roster spot. It's safeties Major Burns and Tysheem Johnson from Oregon, and it makes sense because Poles didn't draft a safety.

"Tysheem can play safety and nickel, as well," Poles said. "They were brought in to develop but also to see if they can push and make a roster spot.

"They're going to have to play well on (special) teams to do that."

Johnson, who is 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, had six interceptions, 11 pass breakups and also 16 tackles for loss playing an aggressive style. He started out in the SEC at Mississippi for two years.

Burns is 6-2, 200, and played at two SEC schools, first Georgia as a freshman and then he finished at LSU. He made two interceptions, nine pass breakups and 12 tackles for loss.

The Bears were in position to pick a few safeties in the middle rounds but saw strong traits they liked–mainly speed–in fourth-round Maryland linebacker Ruben Hyppolite III and fifth-round UTSA cornerback Zah Frazier.

So they passed on safeties even though they didn't have one under contract for 2026 after the draft ended. Starters Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard, and backups Elijah Hicks, Tarvarius Moore and Jonathan Owens all are out of contract.

"So we were aware that that was a group we had to at least be aware that if we could find that sweet spot in the draft where we could get a guy to come in and compete (at safety) we would do that but we also knew in both the undrafted free agent part of the process we could add.

"I think we could develop some guys to get into that room as well as next year's UFA process.   So that's a place where we're excited about.

"Obviously Brisker being healthy and playing at a high level, we still believe Kevin is going to do a great job for us, as well. He's an ultimate pro, a great leader back there. So we're going to just monitor that situation but at the time we need to be developing the young talent in that room to see if they can push to make a roster spot."

It is entirely uncommon for undrafted free agents who will take part in the rookie camp next week to make the 53-man roster coming out of training cmap. However, it wouldn't be out of the question for either of those two safeties to do it because it's easier in the first year of a coaching staff.

A new staff isn't wed to the veteran players like the other staff had been.

The 53 man roster last year after cutdown following training camp had no undrated rookies that the Bears had initially signed. The previous year, quarterback Tyson Bagent made it.

But in the first year of the Matt Eberflus era, linebacker Jack Sanborn, cornerback Jaylon Jones and tight end Jake Tonges all made it, and several undrafted free agent rookies who had been cut elswehere also made it after being claimed by the Bears on waivers, including slot backup Josh Blackwell.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published
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.