Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears may have found a hidden gem of the 2026 NFL Draft class, and it might be someone they secured after the fact in Caden Barnett.
Nicknamed the “Vanilla Gorilla,” Barnett possesses desirable traits and measurements.
He joins a position group that the Bears rebuilt last offseason, and the former Wyoming Cowboys starter could develop into a long-term solution to help them avoid the type of overhaul they previously underwent.
Bears’ Caden Barnett Lands on UDFA Watchlist
Caden Barnett Could Make Strong Impression in Bears Rookie Minicamp
Barnett has experience at right tackle. That versatility could appeal to the Bears in a pinch. However, he has gotten the attention of evaluators after his move to guard.
The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner listed Barnett as the Bears’ “best UDFA fit.”
“A long-armed lineman, Barnett was a two-year starting right tackle at Wyoming before finishing his career as an all-conference right guard,” Baumgardner wrote on May 2. “A former wrestler with big-time power in the run game, Barnett (6-3, 316) is a great mover who could compete for a roster spot.”
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projected Barnett would be a sixth-round selection. So, the Bears are getting him at a veritable bargain.
Zierlein said Barnett has “NFL-caliber measurables and slightly above-average athletic testing.”
“He’s rarely cheated when he lands on contact cleanly, but he needs to improve his balance and footwork when fitting up his blocks. He appears best suited for inside-zone and gap-scheme assignments but has plenty of experience in wide zone. Barnett’s grip strength works in his favor in pass protection,” Zierlein wrote before the draft.
“He will struggle to stay mirrored to NFL rushers who attack edge to edge. While he checks some of the boxes needed to compete for a roster spot, Barnett will need to extend his aggression through the whistle as a block finisher at the next level.”
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Barnett as the 16th-best guard in the class, giving him a fifth or sixth-round grade.
Barnett is “an appealing pick for scheme-diverse teams; has the tools to be a solid backup.”
“Barnett needs to develop better consistency with his sustain skills, but the mental and physical tools are there for him to grow into being a solid backup — and potentially more,” Brugler wrote in his “The Beast” draft guide. “He will appeal to scheme-diverse teams.”
His first opportunity to impress as a Bear will come in rookie minicamp.
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If Barnett sticks, he will be the latest addition behind Bears starting interior linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Garrett Bradbury. The Bears acquired the latter in a trade with the New England Patriots this offseason.
The Bears have 2025 sixth-round pick Luke Newman. He has cross-trained at center and could be a long-term replacement for Thuney at left guard.
They selected Logan Jones in the second round this year, with Bradbury’s contract expiring.
Veteran Jordan McFadden is on hand to handle guard duties until the Bears deem Newman is ready to step in. That is what he did during the NFC Divisional Playoffs, while Thuney kicked out to left tackle.
Barnett can work to become Jackson’s eventual replacement at right guard. Jackson and Thuney’s contracts both expire after the 2027 season.
The best way to avoid overspending on free agents, or needing them, is to draft well.
Right behind that, though, is being able to find diamonds in the rough that other teams overlooked to fill in the gaps. There is a lot of belief that Barnett can be one of those rare cases for the Bears.
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