The Chicago Bears knew that with only five draft picks, they would need to be active on the undrafted free agent market to fill out their remaining roster spots with good, young players. According to most experts, they seemed to do well. Most agree their best acquisition was Illinois defensive tackle Keith Randolph. He was the unsung hero of the Illini’s defensive front despite Jer’Zhan Newton getting most of the attention. Sadly, he didn’t have a productive year on the stat sheet, which led to him going undrafted.
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That didn’t mean Randolph couldn’t play. The Bears certainly felt that way. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have made such an aggressive offer to get him. According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, it was far stronger than first reported.
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.
While $225,000 might not sound like a lot of money, remember that the largest guarantee given last year was $255,000. So, it was plainly evident that the Bears wanted Randolph and were willing to pay to get him. They believe he has way more to offer than his status would indicate.
The Chicago Bears know Randolph is capable of more.
He flashed at times throughout his college career. After all, the guy had 4.5 sacks and 13 tackles for a loss in 2022. It’s not like he went his entire time at Illinois without being productive. He simply had a down season last year. That has happened to plenty of future NFL greats. Look at what happened to Dan Marino during his final year at Pitt. This is why Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus always insist on looking at the entire college career, not just the final season. Extenuating circumstances tend to exist for why players saw dips in their production. Maybe it’s an injury. Maybe it’s a scheme change. There are several possibilities.
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In Randolph’s case, it may have been a scheme change. In 2021 and 2022, during which he combined for 8.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for a loss, his defensive coordinator was Ryan Walters. Sadly, Walters left in 2023 to become the head coach at Purdue. Aaron Henry and Terrance Jamison replaced him as co-defensive coordinators, shifting the scheme from a 4-3 to a 3-4. It is no wonder Randolph struggled. The Chicago Bears have every reason to feel like they may have a hidden gem on their hands. Randolph is back in the scheme that helped him thrive in college. He also has a coaching staff that is tailor-made to develop him properly.
This could turn out to be pennies on the dollar if he turns into a good player.
