The Chicago Bears’ three-day rookie minicamp is over, and the finale offered plenty of insight from coaches and players, as well as resulting in a new addition to the roster in Scotty Miller ahead of OTAs and veteran minicamp in June.
Coordinators Dennis Allen and Press Taylor spoke with the media, as did the rest of the Bears’ 2026 draft class, and undrafted free agent quarterback Miller Moss.
One player provided an intriguing glimpse of what could be, too.
Bears Close Rookie Minicamp With Enlightening Day, Roster Addition
Rookies Get Candid to Close Out Bears Rookie Minicamp
Bears draft picks Keyshaun Elliott, Jordan van den Berg, Malik Muhammad, and Zavion Thomas all spoke with the media, with Moss also holding court after practice.
Moss spoke about his ties to several players on the team, most notably Caleb Williams. Moss was Williams’ backup at USC before the Bears’ starter went to the NFL. Taylor noted Moss’ connection to Williams, but said that was not why they brought in the ex-Louisville Cardinal.
van den Berg talked about “attacking my technique” as a focus from the coaches.
Elliott acknowledged that he is in a deep linebacker room and that he expects to be a “core” special teamer this coming season, noting the coaches have thrown a lot at the rookies.
Muhammad spoke on what has been evident: that the Bears have been cross-training him at cornerback and nickel, but they have not set a specific role. He did note that Allen told him they want him to get stronger and bulk up, and that they are going to throw “a lot” at him.
Thomas spoke about his history as a running back, sparking comparisons to Jahmyr Gibbs.
That is lofty, but their physical profiles are similar, and Thomas is raw as a wide receiver, selected largely due to his ability as a returner.
Coaches Shoulder Responsibility
Allen was as candid as he has been since arriving in Chicago last offseason, expressing confidence that his side of the ball would bounce back from a rough 2025 season, when they ranked 29th overall and were 23rd in scoring.
Allen agreed with head coach Ben Johnson’s assessment that they needed to coach up the pass rush better and that they focused too much on scheme over technique.
Taylor said something similar, but regarding getting the offense off to a faster start.
Both coaches noted that that was part of being in Year 1 as opposed to now, where they are using examples of their players running the concepts being asked. That fast start could afford them more time and leeway to figure out how to finish better, too.
The Bears began the season 0-2, then went on a 9-1 run before finishing the regular season with a 2-3 stretch.
Bears Sign Super Bowl Champion Scotty Miller
Miller was one of several veteran players attending the Bears’ rookie minicamp. So far, he is the only one to receive a contract as a result of his tryout.
Miller is a smaller wideout, but he is speedy.
He can play on the outside and has for the bulk of his career, but he has also thrived inside as a slot option. With Miller and fellow free agent addition Kalif Raymond, the Bears’ offense has added a pair of jitterbugs who figure to be threats with the ball in their hands.
Miller, a Barrington, Illinois native who won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, was a teammate of Bears tight end Cole Kmet when they were kids.
Kyron Hudson a Name to Watch
Saturday’s practice saw undrafted free agent wide receiver Kyron Hudson (formerly Kyron Ware-Hudson make a couple of nice grabs, including in traffic. Hudson has good size, but his speed and quickness have been questioned.
He was a teammate of Moss’ from 2021 through 2024 and Williams’ during the 2022 and 2023 seasons on the Trojans.
The Bears have few big-bodied receivers, and Hudson could follow a path familiar to the team.
Last offseason, 2025 UDFA Jahdae Walker showed what he can do, earning his way onto the practice squad and a contract this offseason. Like Walker, whose own athletic testing was mixed, Hudson has flashed big-play ability.
It will be interesting to see if the Bears are able/choose to bring Jones (and Moss, for that matter) back for the next portion of the offseason program.
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