NEWSLETTER
Every year, everyone in the football community digs through the dregs of each roster in search of an under-the-radar prospect or underdog tale. For the Chicago Bears, that player might be Keith Randolph Jr. — a defensive tackle who the Bears went above and beyond to sign as an undrafted free agent after the dust settled on the 2024 NFL Draft.
Over at The Draft Network, Justin Melo fills in the blanks on how far the Bears were willing to go in order to bring the defensive lineman up Interstate 57. And I must admit that I did not see this coming:
The Bears signed Randolph Jr. to a three-year standard agreement that contained $220,000 in total guaranteed money, according to Spotrac. That made him one of the highest-paid undrafted free agents in the entire league. The financial commitment increased Randolph Jr.’s chances of making the team.
The Bears showed consistent interest in Randolph Jr. throughout the entire pre-draft process. They first met with him at this year’s Senior Bowl, where he impressed throughout a productive week of practice and interviews. They then held a follow-up virtual meeting with Randolph Jr. to reiterate their interest in his services. Poles eventually kept the former Illini standout in-state by making him an aggressive offer.
Look at the Bears spending money in places you wouldn’t expect them to be aggressive in doing so.
We have so often discussed the Bears’ attempts to win on the margins during the early stages of the team’s rebuild. Giving an undrafted rookie free agent a sizable deal is a clever way that a forward-thinking front office with resources like what Chicago’s football team has at its disposal can snag a win on the margins. It might not seem like much right now. But if you can do it with any consistency, these types of moves will add up. Plus, word of how the Bears treat their players could travel to UDFAs in the future. A little can go a long way. And I hope we can look back at the Keith Randolph Jr. signing with fondness.
Keith Randolph Jr. could be the Chicago Bears next diamond-in-the-rough
Other than defensive lineman Johnny Newton, I don’t think there is a player Fighting Illini football fans pitched me harder on than Keith Randolph Jr. during the pre-NFL Draft buildup period. To that end, I’m glad Randolph made his way to the Bears. Moreover, I am impressed that General Manager Ryan Poles was aggressive in reeling in Randolph. I hope that pursuit pays off in a big way, both for Randolph and Chicago’s football team.
Finding a player who goes from being an undrafted free agent rookie to someone who climbs a team’s depth chart is a dream of front office members and fans alike. And if the Bears hit the jackpot with Keith Randolph Jr. after rolling the dice with a hefty UDFA deal, I imagine this is one folks will remind you of the time you tried putting them on your radar. For the record, I’m so here for it. Let’s keep unearthing unpolished gems who need a little bit of professional tutelage.
Whenever I think of Bears players who made the climb from undrafted free agent to signing a notable second contract, the name Roy Robertson-Harris comes to mind.
RRH checked every box between his arrival in Chicago as an unknown entity to where he currently is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Position change and a redshirt year? Check. Post-position change body transformation? Double check. Training camp fan favorite? I can vouch for it. That counts as a triple check. Preseason standout? The real ones remember, so let’s give it a quadruple check. That slide from bit player, to rotational guy, to someone who gets a big free-agent deal from a team that can give him a bigger role and wads of cash? Yeah, that’s the Roy Robertson-Harris tale boiled down to its simplest form.
And now, this is where I express hope that Keith Randolph Jr. can follow that path. If Randolph needs inspiration, he needs to look no further than a guy who (1) was with the Bears and (2) is still starting in the league. Sometimes, all a player needs is a little bit of inspiration in the way of knowing that it can happen because it has happened before.
The Bears could really use Keith Randolph Jr. rising the defensive tackle ranks as a rookie. Don’t get me wrong, I want to see 2023 Day 2 draft picks Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens shine in 2024. But the Bears didn’t do much to add to the interior of the defensive line this year. There were no noteworthy free-agent additions. Heck, they lost two-year starter Justin Jones to the Arizona Cardinals. There weren’t any trades swung or draft picks used by Ryan Poles on an interior defensive lineman. Randolph might as well be *THE* big splash for this team at that position.
No, I won’t set absurdly high or unreachable expectations for Keith Randolph Jr.’s first year in the pros. That would be irresponsible. However, I will allow myself to dream on the rookie playing into a rotational role sooner rather than later. This is feasible, right?
Obviously, all eyes will be on Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, and the rest of the rookies on offense. But don’t sleep on Keith Randolph Jr. on defense. His career arc is only beginning.
