Chicago Bears sign TE Sam Roush to rookie contract
Chicago Bears sign TE Sam Roush to rookie contract
Chicago Bears sign TE Sam Roush to rookie contractAlyssa Barbieri, Bears WireFri, Jul 10, 2026·1 min read
The Chicago Bears have signed tight end Sam Roush to his four-year rookie contract, the team announced Friday.
While the selection of Roush came as a surprise in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, with Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet already on the roster, it had head coach Ben Johnson's fingerprints all over it. Roush was one of the biggest standouts of the offseason, and it's clear the Bears have big plans for him as a rookie in an already-loaded tight end room.
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Roush likely won't factor into the passing game in a significant way, given the influx of weapons including Loveland, Kmet and receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, but his prowess as a blocker will prove key. Also, given Johnson's penchant for 12 and 13 personnel, Roush should get plenty of action. And if he has an impactful year, he could challenge Kmet for the TE2 role.
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With Roush signing his contract, the Bears have all of their rookie draft picks -- safety Dillon Thieneman, center Logan Jones, Roush, wide receiver Zavion Thomas, cornerback Malik Muhammad, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg -- under contract with training camp set to kick off later this month.