The Bears’ tight end group already has its headline names. Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet and rookie Sam Roush are the ones drawing the most attention. But in a preseason loss to the Bengals, another tight end quietly made his case in a way that got noticed fast.
Roush finished Chicago’s 27-9 defeat with two catches for 30 yards, and his best moment came on a 26-yard completion late in the first quarter. The play was built by more than just the catch, though. Rookie Hayden Large helped spring it with a key block out in front, opening the lane for extra yards.
That effort drew praise from former Bears fullback Jason McKie on X.
"So we are not going to talk about my guy HAYDEN LARGE with the Hustle and Waffle House Pancake block to get Roush a few more yards! !! I see ya big Fella!!!"
Large, an undrafted rookie from Iowa, arrived with the kind of background that fits the school’s reputation for developing blocking tight ends. He hasn’t made his name as a receiver.
At Iowa, he caught 14 passes for 89 yards. But as a blocker, he may have a real path on this roster.
Ben Johnson wants to use more 13-personnel, with three tight ends on the field. That has some around the team thinking Chicago could keep four tight ends, or at least stash one on the practice squad.
For now, Loveland, Kmet and Roush look set as the top three. Large is battling Stephen Carlson and Qadir Ismail for what could be the fourth spot or a practice squad place in 2026.
Making the 53-man roster will be a tough climb for Large. Still, the effort he showed on that play is the kind of thing that keeps a coach watching. He has one more game to make his case, and he could still be a sleeper to sneak onto the roster.
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The bigger question is how far that resume can still go in a Bears uniform, because the Hall of Fame case is already in place but not necessarily complete. Another championship in Chicago would only sharpen the argument, and so would any further individual recognition along the way. For a franchise that has spent years searching for stability up front, Thuney gives this team a level of credibility and a reason to think the next chapter could be more than just solid. [Read more 🡒]