There’s been plenty of focus put into the Chicago Bears’ offseason, and rightfully so. They made plenty of big splashes, including coming away with a pair of Top 10 selections. Yet they only made five total picks due to multiple trades before April’s draft. Because of that, it should allow a few undrafted free agents to compete for a 53-man roster spot. In total, Chicago signed 13 undrafted free agents, but only a few have a chance at making the final roster. We’ll highlight three intriguing names that should have the best chance at cracking the 53-man roster come September.
1. DT Keith Randolph Jr. (Illinois)
For my money, defensive tackle is the most “wide-open” position on this roster. General manager Ryan Poles is putting a whole lot of stock into his pair of sophomore defensive tackles to make a big leap in Year 2. Andrew Billings will log plenty of valuable snaps at nose tackle, but there’s a clear opening for someone to take the final spot on the depth chart and see some playing time as a rotational player. Randolph was the team’s highest-graded undrafted signing. Now, that doesn’t always mean he’ll end up being their best find, but most had a mid-to-late Day 3 grade on the former Illini product.
Randolph is best suited in a 4-3 front and has shown plenty of versatility playing all over the defensive line. He’s a quality scheme fit for what the Bears are doing, which should also help him carve out a role during camp and the preseason. Even better news for him: He’s not facing steep competition for a roster spot. That, of course, is barring a surprise move before the start of the regular season. That’s why Randolph Jr. is my favorite undrafted free agent to make this year’s final roster.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25524929/1291688442.jpg)
Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images
2. DE Jamree Kromah (James Madison)
Speaking of positions on the depth chart that are wide open, you can argue that the defensive end is right up there with the interior. The main difference between the two comes down to the remaining free agents left on the market, though. It’s long been speculated that Chicago will end up with a veteran on the right one-year deal. My money would still be on Yannick Ngakoue coming back on an incentive-laden deal. In the meantime, we’ll operate like there’s no additional help coming in from the outside.
Kromah is an interesting prospect. He split his five college seasons between Rutgers and James Madison, but 2023 was his lone breakout year. In his redshirt senior season, he started 13 games while putting up a whopping 20.5 tackles-for-loss and 11 sacks. His versatility could be a big bonus for him in this scheme as well. At 6-foot-3 and 271 pounds, his physical profile is reminiscent of Demarcus Walker. Despite his five college seasons, he’s still a bit raw and should be viewed as a developmental-upside type of player. At worst, Kromah is a practice squad stash, but don’t be surprised to see him push for a final roster spot with a big preseason.
3. CB Reddy Steward (Troy)
Multiple draft publications had the former Troy product as a Top 300 talent. Some had him as a late-Day 3 prospect with plenty of upside. The final rounds of each draft are tricky, but 2024’s class was even tougher to decipher because of how similarly graded many of these Day 3 prospects were for teams. On the surface, some may be wondering why I would highlight a cornerback at such a deep position. Steward’s versatility should be noted as a big value in this defensive scheme, though.
Pro Football Focus had him graded as the second-best draft-eligible prospect at cornerback, including an impressive 90.7 final grade in 2022. At 5’11, his height should allow him to play either inside or outside at the next level. In his five years, he totaled nine interceptions, including a trio of pick-sixes. Seven of his nine interceptions came in the final two years at Troy, which also included 22 pass breakups. Due to his low playing weight of 177, he might be better suited to compete in the slot for a reserve role with the likes of Josh Blackwell. Similar to Kromah and Randolph Jr., Steward’s worst case for 2024 feels like a practice squad bid and a late-season call-up.