Don’t sleep on the Chicago Bears undrafted free agent haul from after the 2026 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter shared his list of the best prospects who hit free agency after going undrafted, of which six have landed on the Bears. That is fun to see!
A quick rundown of Reuter’s top UDFA signings who are Bears-bound:
Caden Barnett, Wyoming, interior OL — The second-highest-rated interior offensive lineman among the UDFAs, Barnett is coming off a season in which he was a second-team All-Mountain West player. Nicknamed the “Vanilla Gorilla,” Barnett was a projected Day 3 pick before hitting the UDFA wire.
Jaren Kump, Utah, interior OL — While Barrett is the high-profile get among the Bears’ UDFAs, Kump is no slouch. An honorable mention All-Big 12 player in 2025, Kump has starting experience at center (29 games), right tackle (7), left tackle (3), and guard (2). That kind of positional flexibility could help him wrangle a spot on the practice squad or even the 53-man roster if everything breaks his way.
REPORTED 2026 CHICAGO BEARS UDFA SIGNINGS
Miller Moss, Louisville, quarterback — QB10 among the UDFAs, Moss was Caleb Williams’ teammate at USC and set a Holiday Bowl record with six passing touchdowns. Imagine how many Caleb could’ve thrown for if he hadn’t been preparing to be the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. My hope for QB4 on the depth chart is that he makes preseason games fun for fans.
Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Jayden Loving, Wake Forest, interior DL — Who said the Bears didn’t address their defensive line issues? In addition to landing Jordan van den Berg with their final pick, Loving — the 12th-highest-ranked interior defensive lineman among the UDFAs — was an honorable mention All-ACC performer in 2025.
Skyler Thomas, Oregon State, safety — The third-highest-ranked safety on Reuter’s list of undrafted prospects, Thomas led the Beavers in tackles in each of his final two seasons on campus. Safety depth was a concern coming into this offseason, but those issues feel like a distant memory now.
Beau Gardner, Georgia, long snapper — Gardner is the highest-ranked long snapper and the 12th-best undrafted special teams prospect. A recipient of the Patrick MannellY Award in 2025, Gardner was an All-American and two-time first-team All-SEC player for the Bulldogs. After not re-signing Scott Daly as a free agent, the Bears seem to be pitting Gardner against Luke Elkin (a UDFA signing from the 2025 offseason) in a position battle to come later during training camp.
Bears Land Top Prospects After 2026 NFL Draft
The Bears have had several undrafted free agents turn into valuable contributors to the team. In recent years, we’ve seen linebacker Jack Sanborn and offensive lineman Theo Benedet play their way into the starting lineup. Quarterback Tyson Bagent worked his way toward a hefty raise and a contract extension in 2025. Heck, Jahdae Walker — part of the 2025 class of undrafted free agents — caught one of the most important touchdowns in recent Bears history in that late December doozy of a win against the Packers.
Here are some of my other favorite Bears undrafted free agent signings since we launched this site in 2017:
Austin Reed, QB, West Florida + Ian Wheeler, RB, Howard University (2024) — I’m lumping these two together because of their recent success in the UFL. Because, in addition to making some late preseason games interesting for Bears fans who were committed to watching every minute of the exhibition slate, it is fun to see ex-Bears shine on a different stage. Let’s face it. Not everyone can make it in the NFL. But if you can make it in the UFL, an invite to someone’s camp could be right around the corner:
Ian Wheeler sets the UFL Single-Game Record with 4 Rushing TDs today 🚨🔥 pic.twitter.com/heCpieL5sg
— Louisville Kings (@UFLKings) April 26, 2026
Jaylon Jones, CB, Ole Miss (2022) — Jones has quietly carved out a niche as a core special teams contributor for two different Bears head coaches. Part of the 2022 UDFA class that included Jack Sanborn and (now 49ers) tight end Jake Tonges, Jones has played on at least 55 percent of the team’s special teams snaps in each of the last three years. Unearthing a solid special teams contributor from a crop of undrafted free agent signings is something I’ll never overlook.
Sam Mustipher, C, Notre Dame (2019) — OK, so things didn’t end well with Mustipher while in Chicago. However, the 2019 undrafted free agent has gone on to have a respectable career as a journeyman center. Mustipher started 40 games for the Bears from 2020-22, but his career has continued with stops playing for the Baltimore Ravens (2023), Los Angeles Chargers (2024), and Denver Broncos (2025). If your team can unearth a useful depth piece from the UDFA market, then I’d consider it a net win.
Rashaad Coward, OL/DL, Old Dominion (2017) — Coward hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since a four-game stint with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. However, the 2017 Bears UDFA signing has had an interesting career as he went from a defensive line prospect in 2017 to a starting offensive lineman in 2019. It didn’t go as well as James “Big Cat” Williams’ position switch, but it was fun to follow.
I look forward to seeing which players make the nmost of the opportunity that comes with being an undrafted free agent. Sometimes, life as a UDFA will get you in a position to win multiple NFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards — like Josh Blackwell. Othertimes, the undrafted free agent route begins a career that nets you a whopping contract — like Roy Robertson-Harris.
THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube