Bears workout six players including QB |
In total, the Chicago Bears brought in six players for a workout, and all six happened to be on the offensive side of the ball.
Five of those six are players who come from the Bears' worst positions right now. Two offensive linemen and three RBs showcased their stuff, with a former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback being the sixth and final player. Here is a rundown on who tried out and a little about the players involved.
One of the offensive linemen brought in was Anchrum Jr., who has been around the league for five seasons. A seventh-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, Anchrum saw action in 31 games in his four seasons in Los Angeles, one of them as a start. Returning to his college days, Anchrum played college football for Dabo Swinney in Clemson during the Tigers' glory days. At the very least, Anchrum has a championship pedigree in his blood, as he not only has a Superbowl ring with the Rams but also a National Championship ring with the Tigers. If anything, he can bring a winning mindset to the Bears' offensive line room.
The second offensive Lineman is Austen Pleasants. An undrafted free agent in 2020 from Ohio University, Pleasants has bounced around a lot and has played with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Arizona Cardinals. Pleasants also spent time with the Bears last season as part of their practice squad. That is what makes his workout interesting, as the Bears were unable to keep him on their practice squad last season, so bringing him back does show they liked something about him. For starters, his 6-7 and 330-pound frame make him a massive human and easily the biggest player on the Bears' offensive line. A guard by trade, Pleasants could be a great depth piece, and with Nate Davis's struggles, why not give a guy of his size an opportunity to see what he can do?Tremayne Anchrum Jr. (OL)
Austen Pleasants (OL)
Tony Jones (RB)
Now that the offensive lineman portion of the workouts is out of the way, it is time to move to the RBs, as Tony Jones is first to discuss. A former Notre Dame star from 2016-19, Jones went undrafted in 2020 and has bounced around several rosters since.
Looking back at his NFL career, you will see that Jones has played with the New Orleans Saints (2020-22, 2023), Seattle Seahawks (2022), Denver Broncos (2023), and Arizona Cardinals (2023). Jones accumulated 1481 yards in college, including nearly 900 yards his senior season, while also picking up the longest run in Notre Dame bowl history.
Anthony McFarland Jr. (RB)
This could be the most intriguing of the workouts, as he has the best chance to make the roster. A fourth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, McFarland has yet to put up much when it comes to NFL stats. He has 146 career yards on 42 carries. He has also added 87 receiving yards and better than 230 return yards, as he has shown the ability to be an excellent role player.
College was a bit of a different story for McFarland, as he accumulated 1648 yards and 12 TDs in two seasons with Maryland. That included his best season in 2018 when he topped the 1000-yard mark as a freshman.
Jake Funk (RB)
It's time to get Funky, as another former University of Maryland product showcased his skills in front of the Bears Brass. Initially a seventh-round pick by the Rams in 2021, Funk has been primarily a special teamer, spending time with the New Orleans Saints (2022), Indianapolis Colts (2022-23), Miami Dolphins (2023), and Detroit Lions (2023-24).
Looking at his career, Funk has touched the ball a few times, with 15 yards coming on four carries, but as expected, that isn't going to wow anyone. With Maryland, it took Funk a little bit to settle in, but once he did, he was very reliable. He averaged 7.2 YPC across his career and racked up 968 yards and ten scores. His best season was his senior year, as he had 516 yards rushing and three scores that season.
Chris Oladokun (QB)
The most surprising of the workouts came in the form of Oladokun, as the Bears worked out a quarterback. A 27-year-old journeyman, Oladokun has been on the Kansas Chiefs roster the past two seasons and has brought home two Superbowl rings. Oladokun played collegiately for South Florida (2016-18), Samford (2019-20), and South Dakota State (2021), where he put up decent numbers across the board.
Although he didn't post many stats with South Florida, throwing for 297 yards and three touchdowns, he did put up great numbers when you combine his performance across the board. This is one of those workouts that involves bringing in someone with a winning attitude in an effort to change the culture in Chicago.
