{"id":619425,"date":"2026-05-02T15:07:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T15:07:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/619425\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T15:07:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T15:07:11","slug":"other-teams-arent-happy-chicago-took-sam-roush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/619425\/","title":{"rendered":"Other Teams Aren’t Happy Chicago Took Sam Roush"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Bears<\/a>\u2018 2026 draft class is best described as\u2026unorthodox. Things started with clear intent. They selected Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round, finding that second starter next to Coby Bryant they were missing. Then, in the 2nd round, they secured their center of the future with Iowa\u2019s Logan Jones. Nothing crazy so far. That abruptly changed in the 3rd round. After trading down to the #69 spot, general manager Ryan Poles delivered a shocker by taking Stanford tight end Sam Roush.<\/p>\n

Initial reactions were utter confusion. A tight end? Why? The Bears already drafted Colston Loveland in the 1st round last year. They still had Cole Kmet. Sure, they\u2019d lost Durham Smythe to free agency, but he\u2019d been a cheap addition anyway. It shouldn\u2019t be that hard to replace him. Spending a higher pick on a third tight end defied conventional wisdom. Mike Sando of The Athletic went searching for answers, and the feedback from other teams helped paint a picture of what the Bears are doing. Those other teams aren\u2019t happy about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cChicago was really good in the run game this past year, and to get Roush to play tight end, damn, they are going to be able to run some strong-side runs,\u201d a third said. \u201cThis guy can block all the defensive ends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam Roush enhances one of the team\u2019s biggest strengths.<\/p>\n

Last season, the Bears ranked 3rd in rushing across the NFL. They did this without a true #1 running back, instead utilizing the talents of D\u2019Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, and excellent blocking up front. Anybody who has watched Ben Johnson\u2019s system over the years will know that tight ends play a key role in that execution. They are the ones who help spring guys to the outside, creating big-play opportunities. Now they\u2019re adding perhaps the best blocking tight end in the entire draft class.<\/p>\n

If Roush can block opposing defensive ends, it frees up their tackles to either double-team a defensive tackle or spring to the second level to pick off a linebacker or defensive back. That means more holes, and more holes mean more chunk plays. Nothing is more demoralizing to defense than being physically bullied at the line of scrimmage. Roush specializes in that. He\u2019s basically an offensive lineman with the frame and speed of a tight end. The vision is pretty clear.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd25 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel<\/a> to hear Chicago legends tell stories you\u2019ve never seen in headlines \u2014 real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.<\/p>\n

Sam Roush is one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a big dude who lands his strikes accurately and has a strong anchor to bully defenders at the line of scrimmage. #Bears<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/AKdp5TEC0Z<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) April 25, 2026<\/a> The Bears basically added Marcedes Lewis.<\/p>\n

Fans will remember the ageless veteran spent two years in Chicago trying to help the team during a rebuild. While he was no longer the solid pass-catching threat he\u2019d been in his younger days, he remained a very good blocker who helped the team finish 2nd in rushing in 2023. Now, think about what would happen if the Bears got the young version of him coming out of college. That is what Sam Roush is.<\/p>\n

He is almost exactly the same size at 6\u20196\u2033, 267 lbs. His blocking is strong and technically proficient. Even crazier is that he is a better athlete than Lewis was.<\/p>\n

MetricMarcedes Lewis (2006)Sam Roush (2026)Height6\u2032 6\u20336\u2032 6\u2033Weight261 lbs267 lbs40-Yard Dash4.84s4.70sVertical Jump37.0\u203338.5\u2033Broad Jump9\u2032 10\u203310\u2032 6\u20333-Cone Drill7.24s7.08s20-Yard Shuttle4.84s4.37sBench Press23 reps25 reps<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t mean Roush is destined for a 20-year career, but it doesn\u2019t indicate the Bears got way more value with that pick than people realize. Lewis was a 1st round pick. If people want a taste of what he\u2019ll do in Ben Johnson\u2019s offense, go watch Lewis from 2019 through 2022 when he was with the Green Bay Packers.<\/p>\n

I think Jordan Love will be fine in LaFleur’s offense\u2026 <\/p>\n

I do think the run game is major factor in the system’s success. I am worried about replacing players like Marcedes Lewis and Allen Lazard in the RUN game than anything else<\/p>\n

This is so rare to find\u2935\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/urHRSgG4PE<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) July 25, 2023<\/a> <\/p>\n

It was a perfect marriage of scheme and player. Johnson\u2019s system, at least in the running game, is very similar. That Packers team reached two NFC championships. Lewis was a big part of why. Roush will be the same if he carries over what he was becoming in college.<\/p>\n