Keith Randolph, Defensive Tackle
Keith Randolph could be a good candidate to be a Sanborn-type of player. He also went undrafted and signed with the Chicago Bears. He is a local kid as well, having played at Illinois. He could have a huge training camp.
© MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL / USA TODAY NETWORK
Randolph could not show what he could do during OTAs and veteran minicamp. His game deals with power and in the camps there are no pads. That means the players do not go at full strength or speed. Once training camp begins and he is suited up, he will be able to demonstrate the power he has.
When looking at his tape, you notice Randolph’s impressive upper body strength. He can overpower offensive linemen, which could require double teams. When he gets those double teams, it frees up space elsewhere. That is good news for the defense. The Chicago Bears have had trouble with their pass rush. If the interior gets double teams then the edge rushers will have space to do their jobs.
My early UDFA to make the roster is Keith Randolph out of Illinois (#88)
6’5, 305lb. The big man covers A LOT of ground.
Last year had: 3 sacks, 8 hurries, 2 hits, 1 PD.
Watch out ? pic.twitter.com/nGfhfFsAy6
— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@OfficialJAYCHI) April 28, 2024
Additionally, Randolph has long arms. He can lock on the blocker and keep him off of him. Offensive linemen like to get their hands on the defender’s chest so Randolph can use his arms to keep that from happening.
One of the knocks on Randolph is that he is not an impact player. He lacks the agility to free himself and get into the backfield consistently. However, with the Chicago Bears, he doesn’t necessarily need to be an impactful player. He will be a backup so he just needs to give the starter, Gervon Dexter, enough snaps to keep him fresh.
What Randolph does well is take up space. He uses up his 6-foot-3.5 and 300-pound frame to make it difficult for opponents to run the ball. He eats up space and uses his strength to stop the ball carrier cold. That is something that helped the Bears last season. They led the league in rush defense. Randolph helps to try to continue that.
Randolph will make an impression on many once training camp begins. The Chicago Bears need a good backup at defensive tackle. It would be a shock if he did not make the team. He will be a good depth contributor.
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