Bears 2016 Undrafted Free Agents
CB Taveze Calhoun, Mississippi St (6’0 | 192 | 4.56) – Another high-character signing for the Bears, Calhoun was a finalist for the academic heisman and gets rave reviews from his coaching staff. On the field Calhoun was a three-year starter in the SEC who has ideal length and plays with as much on-field smarts as he has off it.
Calhoun reads plays and routes well and is rarely fooled. He also knows his limitations which can lead him to give too much cushion in man coverage to protect his lack of long speed.
Despite less than ideal athleticism, Calhoun was a very successful corner in the SEC. He allowed just 22 catches last season and led all draft-eligible SEC corners in passer rating against, holding opposing QBs to a rating of just 40. In his three years as a starter he had 154 total tackles, 12 TFLs, 6 INTs, 21 PDs, and 3 forced fumbles.
Calhoun could struggle if forced into man coverage consistently, but in the Bears zone-heavy scheme his skill-set, length, and awareness give him a shot to stick around. Special teams could be Calhoun’s short-term path to a roster spot and if he gets stronger he could be in the mix for sub-package snaps by next season.
DE/OLB Roy Robertson-Harris, UTEP (6’7 | 255 | 4.70) – The Bears were interested enough to bring Robertson-Harris in for a private workout after he posted a 35″ vertical, 9’11” broad jump, 4.7 40-time, 23 bench reps of 225 pounds, and looked fluid in both pass rush and short coverage drills during his pro day.
Robertson-Harris is a tweener with not enough bulk to be a 5-technique in the Bears scheme and maybe not enough experience or agility to be a stand-up OLB. His college stats aren’t impressive either with just 16 tackles for loss and 6 sacks over the last two seasons.
What Robertson-Harris does have is elite athleticism for his size and ideal length as a pass rusher. He’s a raw athlete with plenty of upside and I trust DC Vic Fangio to find a use for his unique skill-set.
WR Darrin Peterson, Liberty (6’1 | 204 | 4.49) – Productive receiver who broke multiple school and conference records including former Viking Jerome Simpson’s Big South conference record of 2,720 receiving yards. There isn’t much info on Peterson available, but the one highlight reel I did find shows a receiver with good length, deep speed, and a knack for tracking the ball in the air.
He’s an FCS All-American who finished his career at Liberty with 214 receptions, 3,127 yards, and 27 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter. Regardless of conference, that type of production is impressive and worth a look in training camp.
OT John Kling, Buffalo (6’7 | 314 | 5.30) – Massive right tackle prospect who was a 2nd team All-MAC selection last year. Kling uses his size and wrestling background to be a mauler in the running game. He’s an interesting player with a potential future in the NFL if he can improve his footwork in pass protection.
ILB Don Cherry, Villanova (6’1 | 236 | 4.7) – FBS All-American and team captain who put up monster numbers in 2014 (134 tackles, 21 TFLs, 10 sacks, 5 forced fumbles) before a mediocre 2015 campaign. The Bears are suddenly deep at ILB, so Cherry’s best chance at making the roster will be on special teams.
OT Adrian Bellard, Texas St (6’5 | 301 | 5.38) – Thick-bodied mauler in the run game who is surprisingly agile for his size. With the Bears looking to get more mobile on the o-line, Bellard may get a shot at either guard or right tackle.
TE Joe Sommers, Wisconsin-Oshkosh (6’3 | 241 | 4.61) – H-back prospect who the Bears brought in for a workout a few days before the draft. It’s a big jump from DIII to the NFL, but Sommers has the necessary athleticism (6.90 3-cone, 36″ vertical) and is a 3-time All-WIAC honoree with six touchdowns over the last two seasons.
OG Dan Buchholz, Duquesnse (6’4 | 304 | 4.98) – Good footwork and movement skills, but needs to get stronger to compete at the NFL level.