The Chicago Bears selected Stanford tight end Sam Roush with the 69th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, adding a third tight end to the team who already has Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet.
Chicago missed out on the run of defensive linemen, as Lee Hunter, Zion Young, Gabe Jacas, Casius Howell, Kayden McDonald, T.J. Parker, R Mason Thomas, and Christen Miller all went before the Bears were on the clock on Day 2.
With the position group left dry, Chicago traded back nine spots from No. 60 to No. 69 with the Tennessee Titans and received No. 144 overall, adding a fifth-round pick, while drafting their best available, which just so happened to be Roush.
Measurables:
Analysis
It’s understandable to scratch your head about this pick, but Chicago didn’t feel the defensive line had any value in the early third round, so they instead pivoted to another tight end. For a play caller like Ben Johnson, this means he can run 12 and 13 personnel.
Roush has average hands and a good, big frame, but his shorter arms hurt him against lengthier and stronger edge rushers. He won’t bring an impactful offensive number with Loveland blossoming as the star tight end, but if Chicago ships off Kmet, he could find himself in a more prominent role, just be a blocking tight end if he is the third tight end on the roster.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Instant analysis of Bears’ selection of Sam Roush in NFL draft
Reporting by Preston Zbroszczyk , Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
