Sam Roush is the Bears' newest tight end. His selection in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft surprised the football world, considering the Bears were expected to use the bulk of their selections on defensive players, and the tight end position was one that many had considered settled. But just because Roush is beginning his career in Chicago third in line doesn't mean he doesn't have a shot to put meaningful snaps on tape.
Behind Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet, the Bears' tight ends room is a little crowded. Loveland was the marquee selection from the Bears in the 2025 draft, and he spent the vast majority of his first campaign in the NFL proving that, though very young, he could handle the job of a receiving tight end. Cole Kmet, meanwhile, saw his name rise to the top of the trade rumors until ultimately the Bears decided to keep him because Ben Johnson likes to run three tight ends.
Blocking is Sam Roush’s clearest path onto the Bears roster
That's where Sam Roush comes in. Last season, the Bears had veteran Durham Smythe set as their third tight end, and though he participated in all 17 contests in 2025, he only received two starts. On the whole of the season, Smythe collected only four receptions for 25 yards. It may sound like very few, but catching the ball wasn't Smythe's primary job. Blocking was. That's where Roush is going to naturally fall in line.
From the connection that was forged between Caleb Williams and Loveland during the latter half of the season, and the fact that Loveland ended 2025 with the most receiving yards on the Bears, it's safe to say that the Bears are going to lean into that. Williams and Loveland found a certain magic in their abilities, and Ben Johnson would be wise to do everything he can to keep that going. That role is covered. That's why it's so important for Roush to master his blocking ability.
"Right now, the biggest thing I need to improve on is consistency in blocking. It's got to look the same every time. A lot of the time, my initial contact is good, but then it's about sustaining the block long enough to seal your guy off and allow the play to move forward, and that's the part I'm really working on."Sam Roush via Gabby Hajduk
We're still a few weeks out from the first regular season game. Whether Roush will be playing in those remains to be seen, but given that he's a third round rookie, and he played in the first one, it's likely. It's incredibly difficult to gauge Roush's performance based on the stat sheet, because like other lineman, their triumphs are not ones that usually show up on the stat sheet.
With the very defined roles the the Bears have carved in the tight ends room, Roush has a clear path to meaningful snaps, and it all comes down to his ability to block. With Kmet in the middle serving somewhere between as both a receiving and blocking tight end, that leaves clear room for Roush. And this is the NFL. Injuries are sure to happen, and there's always the chance that a player in Roush's position can be asked to step up. Whether Roush is prepared for that, is up to him.
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