Bears 6’6″ “Intriguing Ball of Clay” Named UDFA to Watch

There’s no question the Chicago Bears had a tremendous offseason. In fact, Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave the Bears an A+ grade for making some huge splashes and coaching hires.

However, despite all the improvements, there is still a lingering concern on the defensive side of the ball. The pass rush productivity. The only notable move the Bears made was signing former Indianapolis Colts edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million contract. Other than that, the edge rushing group looks nearly identical to last year’s raising eyebrows, given its underwhelming performance in 2024.

This creates a compelling opportunity for an undrafted rookie to step up and potentially carve out a role. One name generating buzz is Xavier Carlton, who PFF recently named as the Bears’ undrafted free agent to watch.

Xavier Carlton: A Promising Addition to the Bears’ Defense

Carlton is a massive 6’6″ and 275-pound pass rusher from the University of California with the physical profile that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen covets. His college career was marked by consistent improvement, with career highs in tackles (8), sacks (2), and quarterback hurries (2) in a single game.

PFF offered high praise for the former Golden Bear, noting:

Carlton’s 115 quarterback pressures over the past three seasons tied for the 28th most among all FBS edge defenders, although only Green Bay Packers rookie Barryn Sorrell racked up more clean-up pressures in that span. Still, that speaks to Carlton’s motor and potential ability to crack Chicago’s roster in a reserve role.

Draft Network analyst Ryan Fowler also described Carlton as an “intriguing ball of clay” at the edge spot who, with the proper coaching, could impact the game on early downs.

Pass Rush Woes

GettyThere’s no denying it; the Bears had pass rush struggles last season.

The Bears’ pass rushing unit struggled in 2024, ranking 24th in pass-rush-win-rate (37%) and 29th in run-stop-win-rate (28%). Which is why a lot of people expected the Bears to draft at least one edge rusher, yet they didn’t. Carlton’s size and athleticism make him a candidate to make the team in PFF’s eyes, especially if he can make a quick transition in the NFL.  However, if the Bears need even more reinforcements, two names come to mind: Za’Darius Smith and Jadeveon Clowney.

Smith is coming off a solid year split between the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, where he totaled nine sacks and nine tackles for loss. Meanwhile, Clowney had one of the most efficient seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers, recording 44 pressures, 11 QB hits, 5.5 sacks, and a 13.7% pressure rate. He also ranked third among all edge rushers in run-stop win rate (32%), trailing only Maxx Crosby and Rashan Gary.

Regardless of what the Bears have planned in the edge rushing department, Carlton has a legitimate opportunity to make the 53-man roster and impress the new coaching staff. With a lack of depth and a glaring need for improved pass rush production, Carlton could be one of this offseason’s most important under-the-radar additions.