Chicago Bears sign 4 rookie tryout players, 2 veterans to contracts

The Bears signed six more players to the 90-man roster Monday morning. Four of the six were rookie tryout players, while two were veterans. All six participated in the team’s rookie minicamp over the weekend at Halas Hall.

The rookies include receiver John Jackson, cornerback Leon Jones, defensive tackle Dashaun Mallory and linebacker Paul Moala. The two veterans are receiver Freddie Swain and tight end Tommy Sweeney.

The Bears have now filled 87 spots on the 90-man roster ahead of training camp.

Jackson, a receiver out of Nevada, played with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams at USC before transferring to Nevada. Williams and Jackson are good friends. Jackson caught just five passes during his time at USC. In his lone season with the Wolf Pack last year, he caught 35 passes for 267 yards.

I’m excited for [John Jackson] and this opportunity. We’ve been working hard trying to dig into the playbook.”

—  Caleb Williams, Bears quarterback

“I’m excited for him and this opportunity,” Williams said during rookie minicamp. “We’ve been working hard trying to dig into the playbook and things like that, because he’s in a situation where he’s coming in here trying out, like all the other guys and myself. Just getting in here working hard, getting after it. Trying to give himself and myself the best advantage and having a connection like that always helps.”

Jones played at Arkansas State. Mallory spent several seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Arizona State ahead of the 2023 season. He had 10 tackles for loss at Arizona State last year. Moala played at Notre Dame, Idaho and Georgia Tech in college.

As for the veterans, Swain spent last year with the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad. A 2020 sixth-round draft pick by Seattle, he has appeared in 37 career NFL games for the Seahawks, Broncos and Dolphins, but did not play in any games last season. He has 42 career receptions for 576 yards and six touchdowns.

Sweeney, a tight end, was a seventh-round pick by the Bills in 2019. He has appeared in 24 career games, all with Buffalo, totaling 18 receptions for 165 yards and one touchdown. Sweeney signed with the New York Giants ahead of the 2023 season. Prior to the season, however, he collapsed during a training camp practice. The team said he had a “medical event” and placed him on the non-football injury list. He did not appear in any games last season.