The Chicago Bears have added more veteran depth to their rebuilt linebacker room after wrapping up their two-day rookie minicamp over the weekend.
According to the team’s transaction wire, the Bears signed former Las Vegas Raiders veteran linebacker Jon Rhattigan on Monday, May 11, as part of a series of roster moves that added three other players to their 90-man roster and subtracted one rookie.
Rhattigan has spent time with four different teams in the five seasons since he came into the league as an undrafted rookie out of Army. In 65 career games, he has logged 50 total tackles (30 solo) and one fumble recovery, playing primarily on special teams.
The Bears also signed two new wide receivers — veteran Scotty Miller and rookie Kyron Hudson — and rookie linebacker Wayne Matthew III after successful minicamp tryouts. Matthews started 12 games for Michigan State in 2025, finishing second in tackles (73).
Jon Rhattigan Drew Rave Reviews from Pete Carroll
Rhattigan might be nothing more than a depth signing for the Bears at this stage in the offseason, but his demeanor and special teams prowess could earn him a real chance.
While Rhattigan has scarcely played on defense (20 snaps) over his first five seasons, he has built his career around his contributions in the third phase, playing on 1,260 career special teams snaps and tallying double-digit special teams tackles in 2021 and 2024.
Rhattigan also impressed former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll with his character, consistency and toughness after the latter’s team claimed him off the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers last October and inserted him into the lineup for 12 games.
“He is the real deal as a guy,” Carroll said, via Raiders.com columnist Paul Gutierrez. “Great character. All that you think could come out of that [West Point] experience and that decision to go there, he stands for it on a regular basis. Really consistent, tough as hell, and you really can count on Jon. I love him being on our team.”
Plenty of Competition Expected for Bears’ LB Room
Rhattigan will now have an opportunity to compete for a role in the Bears’ linebacker rotation in OTAs and — if he sticks around — training camp later in the summer, but he might have a difficult time securing a roster spot, given the team’s improved depth.
The Bears shook up their linebacker position over the past few months of the offseason, cutting loose veteran weak-side starter Tremaine Edmunds for about $15 million in cap savings and signing former top-10 draft pick Devin Bush to take his place in the lineup.
They also extended 2025 standout D’Marco Jackson on a two-year contract, brought back Jack Sanborn after a season in Dallas and drafted Keyshaun Elliott in Round 5.
Now, the Bears are positioned for intense linebacker competition in training camp, with veteran T.J. Edwards and former Day 3 picks Noah Sewell and Ruben Hyppolite II also returning to compete for their roster spots. Expectations are that Edwards will retain his starting middle linebacker role, but Sewell and Hyppolite are on the roster bubble and will need to earn their keep to avoid losing ground to guys like Sanborn and Elliott.
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