With the Chicago Bears set to start training camp, a lot of attention will be revolving around the early picks in the rookie class. Whether Dillon Thieneman can hit the ground running and Logan Jones can start will be the big questions. A lot of talk will center around how often Zavion Thomas and Sam Roush can see the field as well.
However, two underrated rookie additions who could end up making noise are Malik Muhammad and Keyshaun Elliott
2 Underrated Rookies Who Could Start for Chicago Bears
Malik Muhammad
Muhammad surprisingly fell to the fourth round after being projected to get taken earlier. However, he is a bit undersized, and teams were unsure if he could continue to play on the outside. Chicago has said they will give him chances on the outside and in the slot.
Right now, there is a path for him to earn a starting role at either spot. Kyler Gordon is on the PUP. While Josh Blackwell will get a lot of the early work, Muhammad can mix in as well. Beyond that, Tyrique Stevenson has not locked up anything on the outside. He is entering a pivotal year, and this defensive staff did not draft him. They could lean toward Muhammad much earlier than expected. That opportunity might not come immediately, but if he continues to impress during training camp and the preseason, it would not be surprising to see him earn a larger role by the start of the regular season.
Keyshaun Elliott
Elliott is a fifth-round pick who is entering a crowded room. There are more questions about how he fits into the depth chart than there are questions about him starting. However, for as crowded as the linebacker room is, it is still wide open.
T.J. Edwards is recovering from a leg injury he suffered late last season. The Bears re-signed D’Marco Jackson and signed Devin Bush in free agency. However, both have long careers in the NFL but only one strong year. While it was last year for both, they could both come back down to earth.
Beyond that, Edwards is left over from last year, and the team drafted Elliott. In a perfect world, they might envision Elliott as their draft pick next to Bush, their free agent addition moving forward. If Elliott has a strong summer and any linebackers show signs of struggling, the team could push him closer to the starting lineup.
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