3 XFL players the Chicago Bears should consider signing

The Chicago Bears’ 2023 season may still be several months away, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have professional football worth watching right now.

The XFL is in the midst of its comeback season. It’s the first year of XFL football since 2020, when COVID-19 derailed the league.

Seven weeks into the XFL regular season, several players are emerging as viable NFL roster candidates in 2023.

That’s what’s great about spring football leagues. They give unheralded players or guys on the comeback trail another crack at the NFL.

Last year’s USFL MVP, KaVontae Turpin, earned a roster spot with the Dallas Cowboys and a Pro Bowl award as a kick returner in 2022. He’s a recent example of how spring football can produce positive results in the fall.

With that in mind, I’ve been paying close attention to the XFL this season through the lens of the Chicago Bears roster. Here are three XFL players who could provided good depth for Chicago in 2023.

Davin Bellamy – Defensive End, DC Defenders

A former defensive end for the Georgia Bulldogs, Bellamy went undrafted in the 2018 NFL draft. He bounced around a bit before landing with the New Orleans Breakers in the 2022 USFL season, where he had a breakout year. In eight games, he racked up 5.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss, both tied for third in the league, and was named All-USFL. He was the heart and soul of the Breakers’ defense and a clear leader on the field.

Now in the XFL, Bellamy is already up to 5.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles with three more games to go. He’s been a force in spring football leagues, and given the state of the Chicago Bears’ defensive line, he could carve out a role for himself as reliable depth.

Jordan Williams – Linebacker, San Antonio Brahmas

The Brahmas are only 2-5 in the XFL, but Williams is dominating. Through seven games, he’s racked up a whopping 65 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and a fumble recovered for a touchdown.

Following a respectable four-year college career at Baylor, where he started 26 games and improved in almost every stat category year after year, Williams bounced around NFL and CFL practice squads before landing in the XFL, where he wasn’t drafted until the 16th round. Now he’s looking like a top candidate for XFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Lucky Jackson – Wide Receiver, DC Defenders

With a solid 6-foot, 220-pound frame, Jackson has been one of the XFL’s most electric playmakers. After a slow start, he’s up to three touchdowns in the last two games and last week logged 136 yards on five catches (eight total targets) against one of the league’s best defenses. Jackson leads the XFL with eight plays of more than 20 yards.

The 25-year-old went undrafted in 2020, despite a 1,100-yard season in his last year at Western Kentucky. He ran an unofficial 4.36 40-yard dash at his pro day and spent some time in the CFL.

While the Chicago Bears wide receivers room is much improved from last year, the depth beyond the top three options is highly suspect.