Don’t let the title mislead you. The Chicago Bears rookie minicamp starting today isn’t exclusively for rookies. NFL rules have permitted teams to also allow certain veteran players to attend that meet specific criteria. Either they must have just one year of experience in the NFL or have been unsigned this offseason. The latter has a limit of no more than five players. Essentially they’re all tryout guys.
The team released its full list of attendees for this weekend. All the regular names were listed including their entire 2021 draft class along with 13 undrafted free agents. Where it got interesting was when the list of tryout players was revealed. Among them were two names that stood out for different reasons. One being quarterback Kyle Sloter and the other safety Tedric Thompson.
Unsigned veterans (5)
13: Chris Lacy, receiver
15: Kyle Sloter, quarterback
30: Tedric Thompson, safety
44: Michael Roberts, tight end
57: Peter Kalambayi, linebacker
Sloter remains a popular name on the backup QB circuit.
Despite never actually playing in an NFL game, his steady performances in training camp and the preseason have always led to him finding a roster spot somewhere. The Bears actually signed Sloter back in November of last year as an emergency reserve following the injury Nick Foles suffered against Minnesota. It appears they might be interested in bringing the 27-year old in as some training camp help and a possible practice squad addition.
The more interesting name though is Thompson. A former 4th round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2017, he showed signs of promise between 2018 and 2019. The latter saw the best start of his career with two interceptions in six starts. Sadly his year was derailed by a shoulder injury. Seattle parted ways with him last season and he split time between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns.
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Chicago Bears are wise to at least get a look at Thompson
While they have decent depth at safety going into camp, one thing they’re lacking is somebody with extensive playing experience. Of their four primary reserves, Deon Bush is the most seasoned with eight starts under his belt. Nobody else comes close. Thompson has started 16 games in his career. Significantly more anybody on the depth chart. That could prove quite valuable if either Eddie Jackson or Tashaun Gipson were to get hurt.
Thompson’s game coming out of college was centered around two key strengths. His ball skills and his instincts. The guy always seems to know where the ball is going. It’s been a matter of getting over a difficult fact for some defensive coordinators. He isn’t all that fast. Thompson ran a 4.60 at the scouting combine. While not painfully slow, it demonstrates that he has some limitations in terms of the ground he can cover. Not ideal but in terms of a backup? The Chicago Bears could do worse.
It will be interesting to see if he makes an impression in minicamps.
He’s still just 26-years old. The guy is in his prime and no stranger to picking up new defensive systems quickly. That could play to his advantage this weekend. Presuming he gets invited to training camp, he’ll need to make quite an impression to make the roster. Especially if he’s not going to contribute much on special teams. Benefits that Bush, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Marqui Christian, and Jordan Lucas all bring.
