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Bears Ink 2026 No. 69 TE Sam Roush, $7.35 M Deal

7/11/2026

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Summary

Bears Sign Roush

Chicago Bears signed tight end Sam Roush to a four-year rookie contract.
The deal is worth $7.35 million after Roush was taken No. 69 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He earned second-team All-ACC honors, posted the top 9.94 Relative Athletic Score and a PFN TE Impact Score of 83.9 with 49 catches for 545 yards.
The Bears also signed six other rookies, including safety Dillon Thieneman and center Logan Jones.

Summary

Loveland Sets Records

Head coach Ben Johnson plans to field two- or three-tight-end formations, increasing offensive unpredictability.
Rookie tight end Colston Loveland led Chicago with 713 receiving yards, six touchdowns and a franchise-record 58 receptions.
Loveland added 12 catches for 193 yards in two playoff games.
Sam Roush will be the primary blocking tight end as Chicago ranked fourth in drop-backs and fifth in rushing attempts with two tight ends last season.

History

Historical Context

When the 2002 NFL collective-bargaining agreement introduced a rookie wage scale that capped fourth-round deals at $5.5 million, the league’s $71 million salary cap began rising each year. By the 2026 draft, the Chicago Bears signed tight end Sam Roush to a four-year, $7.35 million contract, a sign that the scale has outpaced its original limit and shapes modern roster strategies.

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Bears Sign Roush

Chicago Bears signed tight end Sam Roush to a four-year rookie contract.
The deal is worth $7.35 million after Roush was taken No. 69 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He earned second-team All-ACC honors, posted the top 9.94 Relative Athletic Score and a PFN TE Impact Score of 83.9 with 49 catches for 545 yards.
The Bears also signed six other rookies, including safety Dillon Thieneman and center Logan Jones.

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