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The Caleb Williams era in Chicago will begin Friday when the Bears kick off their two-day rookie minicamp at Halas Hall.
Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze will be joined by the other three members of the Bears' 2024 draft class, as well as nine undrafted free agents who have already signed contracts, three veteran tryouts, and a host of undrafted rookies hoping to catch the eye of head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles during their two-day tryout.
The Bears are bringing in 24 players on a tryout basis in order to run the two-day camp.
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Here are the nine undrafted free agents the Bears have already signed to contracts:
Austin Reed, QB, Western Kentucky
Reed, 24, was a productive college quarterback at Western Kentucky. In two seasons at WKU after transferring from West Florida, Reed threw for 8,084 yards and 71 touchdowns on 678-of-1073 passing with 22 interceptions.
He trained with Williams in Florida during the pre-draft process.
Keith Randolph Jr., DT, Illinois
The 6-foot-3, 296-pound Randolph is a good run-stopping defensive tackle with limited pass-rush upside.
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Last season for the Illini, Randolph notched 49 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and four tackles for loss in 10 games.
Jamree Kromah, DE, James Madison
Kromah is a versatile defensive lineman coming off a 10-sack season for James Madison in 2023.
Kromah is an explosive athlete who excels at rushing from the interior. However, he has also shown the quickness to be effective off the edge.
He posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.67. At 277 pounds, Kromah will need to put on weight if he plans to play defensive tackle in the NFL.
Theo Benedet, OL, University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia product measured 6-foot-7, 295 pounds during his pro day. He recorded a 34.5-inch vertical with a 9-foot-6-inch broad jump.
He can play tackle or guard and is most effective in a zone scheme like the Bears run.
Benedet posted a RAS of 9.03. He won two consecutive J.P. Metras Trophies, given to the best down lineman in U Sports football, during his final two seasons at UBC.
Carl Jones, LB, UCLA
A high-motor linebacker, Jones was a special teams ace for the Bruins.
At 217 pounds, Jones will have to transition from edge rusher to off-ball linebacker in the NFL. He was viewed as a "tweener" during the pre-draft process.
Brendan Bates, TE, Kentucky
The 6-foot-5, 247-pound tight end ran a 4.66 40 at his pro day while also posting a 10-foot-2-inch broad jump.
Bates played over 1,200 offensive snaps during his career at Kentucky, where he was utilized as a blocking tight end and fullback. He caught 26 passes for 272 yards during his career.
Reddy Steward, CB, Troy
During the last two seasons, Steward notched seven interceptions and 22 pass breakups while earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors in both seasons.
Ian Wheeler, RB, Howard
A versatile running back who was part of a three-man rotation at Howard, Wheeler was a big-play threat for the Bison as a runner, receiver, and returner.
This past season, the 5-foot-11, 205-pound back rushed for 380 yards on 52 carries (7.4 yards per carry). Wheeler also caught 19 passes for 119 yards and racked up 494 yards on kickoff returns.
He ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at his pro day while recording a 38.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-5-inch broad jump.
Peter LeBlanc, WR, Lousiana Lafayette
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound receiver finished his career at ULL with 140 receptions for 1,737 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The three veterans trying out are defensive back Parry Nickerson, tight end Tommy Sweeney, and receiver Freddie Swain.
Here are some notable rookies who will be trying out this weekend:
-- John Jackson, WR, USC
-- DaShaun Mallory, DT, Arizona State
-- Travian Blaylock, DB, Wisconsin
-- Russell Dandy, DB, Eastern Illinois
-- Josh Sokol, C, Sacred Heart
-- David Satkowski, OG, Stonehill
Here's the full minicamp roster:
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