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It’s funny how a deadline can spur last minute action. With the Bears’ 2018 rookie minicamp set to start this weekend, they inked most of this year’s draft class on Thursday. Immediately after, Chicago officially announced the signings of their undrafted free agent haul, totaling at 15 guys looking to make their mark this summer. The Bears’ eventual camp roster is now complete and ready for competition that will rage on until the end of August’s preseason.
From talented running backs to cornerback depth, here is the complete list of the Bears’ undrafted free agent class:
Oregon State running back Ryan Nall
Dubuque cornerback Michael Joseph
Shepherd linebacker Elijah Norris
TCU safety Nick Orr
Pittsburgh punter Ryan Winslow
Maryland defensive tackle Cavon Walker
LSU cornerback Kevin Toliver
West Georgia receiver Shaq Roland
Notre Dame linebacker Nyles Morgan
Old Dominion defensive end Bunmi Rotimi
Notre Dame linebacker Andrew Trumbetti
Kentucky receiver Garrett Johnson
Bucknell defensive end Abdullah Anderson
Hawaii offensive guard Dejon Allen
Indiana defensive back Rashard Fant
Immediate outlook: There are plenty of intriguing names among this group with a chance to stick with the Bears come the start of the regular season. Look for guys like Joseph, Toliver, and Fant to factor in heavily on Chicago’s cornerback depth chart. The Bears need some secondary competition and this trio has the ability to make a splash for depth. Nall and Orr also have a chance to be useful players on offense and defense, respectively. Nall for his use as a runner and receiver after scoring 24 career touchdowns, and Orr for being a ballhawk with seven interceptions in his last two college seasons.
At any rate, most of this unsung class of Bears’ youth likely factors in somehow in the blazing heat of competition.
Robert Zeglinski is the Bears beat writer for The Rock River Times, an editor for Windy City Gridiron and Inside The Pylon, and is a contributor to Pro Football Weekly and The Athletic Chicago. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertZeglinski.