Bears’ Secondary Shuffle: 8 DBs work out at Halas Hall |
Dustin Riese
· · 9 hours ago
Monday was out of the ordinary for the Chicago Bears.
Instead of a typical Monday following a game where the team gets its daily treatment and meetings, Chicago was busy working out a plethora of players as the early-season injuries continue to mount. This isn't out of the ordinary for this time of year, but to see so many players come in for a workout is out of the ordinary, as eight players spent time at Halas Hall on Monday, working out to earn a spot on this roster. Ironically, all eight players came on the defensive side of the ball, and all of them play the defensive back position as the Bears have a handful of injuries to their defensive back room. Not every player who spent time in Chicago will earn a roster spot, but at the very least, one or even two players could land themselves a contract with the Bears while the rest of them are essentially trying out for other teams. Hopefully, the injuries start to slow down, or this team's depth could be tested early. Kalon Barnes (CB): The 26-year-old Barnes was a seventh-round pick (242 overall) by the Carolina Panthers after a productive career with the Baylor Bears. What stands out the most with Barnes is his speed, as he is one of the fastest Cornerbacks in the game, posting a 4.23-second 40-yard dash. Since his time with the Panthers, Barnes has bounced around a lot and has spent time with six different organizations. In addition to that, Barnes has seen time with the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL and the Edmonton Elks of the CFL, as he is as well-traveled as can be. His speed alone is something the Bears are going to consider, as he would be the fastest player on the Bears roster. Millard Bradford (S): Another Texas State college product, Bradford was a standout safety for TCU for five seasons before going undrafted in 2024. Despite going undrafted, Bradford signed with the Saints and even appeared in three games for them last season. It's worth noting that he made his debut on November 3 last season, which was the final game Dennis Allen coached before being fired. It will be interesting to see if Allen views him as a piece to his defensive puzzle, and that his previous experience with him can give him the leg up over other players. Mekhi Garner, cornerback: Sticking with the Texas theme, Garner is a Texas-born Native who took his collegiate talents to Louisiana, playing for both the Ragin Cajuns and the Tigers. At 6-2, Garner does have some size and comes with minimal NFL experience as he played in three games with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2023 season. Although minimal experience, it's experience nonetheless, and that can often be the difference between making the team and not making the team. Garner would give the Bears some added size to the already physical defensive backs room. Kaleb Hayes, cornerback: Getting away from the state of Texas for a bit, and you will find Kaleb Hayes, who began his college career with Oregon State before transferring to BYU to finish things off. Hayes went undrafted in 2023 and has made several stops along the way. Although he has yet to appear in an NFL game, Hayes has seen time with the Jaguars (2023), New York Giants (2023-24), Denver Broncos (2024), and Green Bay Packers (2025) within the last three years. You have to think he learned something from one of those stops that could help lead to some long-term success should he sign with the Bears. Kenih Lovely, cornerback: Much smaller than your prototypical cornerback at 5-10, Lovely is a former Western Michigan product looking to latch on to an NFL roster. The former ALL MAC player in 2022 and 2023, Lovely, put on a clinic during the 2022 season as he came away with four interceptions. 2023 saw the interception numbers, but with three forced fumbles, it wasn't another aspect of his game that showed up that wasn't seen the year prior. The Bears love players who know how to take the ball away, and that alone could get Lovely a longer look than most teams would give him. Mark Perry, safety: While most of the players were cornerbacks, there were some safeties on the field, with Perry being one of them. Another TCU product, Perry, began his career with Colorado before making the switch to TCU for his final two seasons. Since his college days, Perry has bounced around the league a ton, but has yet to find a permanent home that will give him a chance to become the player he is capable of. He spent time with the Dolphins, Texans, and Patriots last year and was even on the Titans roster this summer, up until they waived him last Tuesday. Benny Sapp III, safety: When you hear the name Sapp in the NFL, the name Warren Sapp comes to mind. One of the best pass rushers of the '90s, Sapp, gave the Bears plenty of fits over the years, and it was a breath of fresh air when he announced his retirement. Benny is not anywhere close to the player Warren was and, from all accounts, has yet to make an NFL roster. When it comes to the players working out, Sapp may have the most experience of the bunch as he has played in five NFL games during his short run with the Packers. That included a season finale victory against the Bears in 2023, as Chicago saw him firsthand. That was a different regime back then, but Ryan Poles was around and may know something we don't. Jason Taylor II, safety: One of the few drafted players of this group, Taylor was an All-Big 12 performer in 2022, which resulted in a seventh-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Although he saw minimal snaps with the Rams, the former Oklahoma State standout did appear in eight games with the Rams before being released the following season. In the years since, Taylor has spent some time on the Arizona practice squad and latched on with the Chiefs earlier in the offseason. The Chiefs ultimately waived him ahead of Mini-camp in May, and he is now hoping the Bears give him the chance he deserves.
