Sam Roush? How The Bears Once Again Got Weird In The 3rd Round
The Chicago Bears addressed two clear needs with their first two picks of the 2026 draft. However, as we know, this team tends to get a little weird in the middle rounds. It happened again. After trading down from #60 overall to #69, the team pulled a mild shocker when they took tight end Sam Roush from Stanford. Many were perplexed by the move since the Bears already have Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet. Tight end wasn’t a big need. That said, the reasoning behind the pick seemed obvious.
Chicago lost Durham Smythe to free agency last month. He was one of their reliable blockers on offense and nobody was brought in to replace him. Roush should do that immediately. He is an excellent blocker both in the run game and pass protection. His gritty, tough, disciplined, and physical on every snap. Giving him to somebody like Ben Johnson, who thrives with tight ends, feels like a major win. That is particularly true when most feel he still hasn’t unlocked his upside as a pass catcher.
Sam Roush is living proof that the Bears are no longer driven by need.
Coach Johnson said recently that his only focus is on adding good football players. They will figure out the rest later. That is what Roush represents. There is no question that he has the makings of a good football player. He’ll already be a quality blocker for them. If he enhances his capability of catching passes, they might have another versatile weapon in their arsenal. Teams should never apologize for finding ways to help their quarterback. The crux of the issue isn’t Roush himself. It is a fact that the team hasn’t addressed the defense.
Chicago ranked 29th in total defense last year. Adding Dillon Thieneman in the 1st round was a strong move and fortifies their secondary. Yet that isn’t enough. They still have questions in their front seven with serious concerns about their pass rush. Finding good players becomes increasingly difficult the deeper you go in a draft. Dennis Allen is a great coach, but he can’t work miracles. He needs more help. So why haven’t the Bears done more? The truth is simpler than people want to admit.
The board just didn’t fall their way.