Chicago Bears Veteran Has High Hopes For Surprising Undrafted Rookie

Jordan van den Berg isn't the only unheralded rookie defender who has been catching his teammates' eyes at training camp.

Jul 31, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Grady Jarrett (50) talks to his teammates during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago Bears rookie defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg has received a healthy amount of praise through the first two weeks of training camp. However, he isn't the only rookie defensive tackle to impress his teammates thus far, as Jayden Loving has also been hyped up by his peers at Saturday's open media session.

Neville Gallimore said the undrafted rookie out of Wake Forest landed in a perfect situation thanks to the Bears' culture. Grady Jarrett also raved about Loving.

"He's been a hard worker from day one," Jarrett said. "His athletic profile speaks for itself. He's continuing to get better every day, and I don't think it's a surprise to any of us how far he's come or how far he can go, but we're happy to have him. I think he's going to be somebody who's definitely going to surprise a lot of people when these preseason games get going, and he's going to represent for us really well."

Could that be an instance where a veteran is giving a younger teammate love? Sure. He certainly wasn't lying about his athletic profile, though. The testing numbers speak for themselves in that regard.

Here's the RAS card for one of the #Bears' top UDFA signings, Wake Forest DT Jayden Loving.

Explosive off the line of scrimmage, low center of gravity, relentless motor against the run. He and Jordan van den Berg provide elite athleticism to the DL. pic.twitter.com/kcqSWFTx5Y

— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) April 26, 2026

Loving could sneak onto the active roster with a strong preseason

Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth (7) and defensive lineman Jayden Loving (8) defend Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) during the third quarter at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Loving has his work cut out for him when it comes to making the roster, as it always comes down to a numbers game. The top three DTs, Grady Jarrett, Gervon Dexter Sr., and Neville Gallimore, are roster locks. Jordan van den Berg is also well on his way if the encouraging practice sessions can translate to the preseason matchups.

There's probably room for one more defensive tackle after those four (assuming they see Shemar Turner as more of a hybrid DT/DE), and that competition will probably see Kentavius Street, James Lynch, and Loving all fighting for one spot. Street has also turned heads at training camp, and he's definitely got the inside track at the job.

However, Loving has a chance to leap the veterans if he stacks a few strong performances in their preseason matchups. That's where players build their resume and create their audition tape. If he impresses, the Bears might opt to keep the 23-year-old around over the 30-year-old whose best days might be behind him.

Alternatively, they have a strong chance to keep him around on the practice squad if he doesn't show flashes. That would allow the team to keep him in-house to further his development.