Bears Sign 6 Players After Rookie Minicamp Tryouts

The most interesting signing is rookie wide receiver John Jackson III out of Nevada. Jackson is a close friend of new Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. The duo played together at USC in 2022 before Jackson transferred to Nevada for his final season. Jackson accumulated 40 receptions for 309 yards in his five-year college career.

There's sound logic to signing a close friend of Williams for training camp. Putting Williams' buddy in the building can only aid in his ability to pick up the playbook, route concepts, and familiarity with the offense. The two will sit in meetings together, discuss concepts with each other, and help each other get better every day.

Defensive tackle Dashaun Mallory is another rookie worth noting. He's an undersized defensive tackle, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 265 pounds. Mallory was a three-star recruit out of Bolingbrook High School in the Chicago suburbs before committing to Michigan State University. After playing for the Spartans from 2018 to 2022, Mallory transferred to Arizona State for his final year of eligibility. In his final season, he totaled 13 pressures and one sack on 617 snaps.

Freddie Swain was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. While Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was still with the Los Angeles Rams, the two crossed paths in 2021 and 2022 in Seattle. The Florida product accumulated 42 catches for 576 yards across four teams in his four-year NFL career. He also has 23 career punt returns and six career kick returns at the NFL level.

Tommy Sweeney was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The Boston College product didn't play an NFL snap in 2023 but accumulated 18 catches for 165 yards from 2019 to 2022. He's played limited special teams snaps at the NFL level, which may have limited his ability to carve out a role in the past. But according to PFF, he grades out as a serviceable blocker and pass catcher for a backup tight end.