Jean Delance signs as UDFA with Chicago Bears
ByThomas Goldkamp 5 hours ago
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida offensive tackle Jean Delance has signed a deal as an undrafted free agent.
On Saturday evening, the Chicago Bears announced they've come to terms with Delance, the three-year starter for the Gators at right tackle. They'll get a player who had his ups and downs at Florida, but a player who has some athleticism when healthy.
"Man, it's crazy. It's just, I want to get to the best place, the most suitable place for me and the organization to prove that I'm a hard-working player and I'm a hard-working guy that's going to fit perfectly in the locker room and their scheme," Delance said at UF's Pro Day last month.
The Bears will give him a chance to prove he can take his game to the next level. There's certainly no shortage of experience.
After transferring to Florida from Texas in 2017, Delance sat out a year and then spent one year as a reserve for the Gators before turning into a multi-year starter. He took over the starting job at right tackle in 2019 and went on to start 37 games from 2019-21.
Then he flashed upside athleticism at the team's Pro Day, perhaps finally healthy after dealing with several nagging injuries over the last few years.
"I feel like I was able to prove I was a great player, an explosive player, hard-working," Delance said. "And I've got the length but I'm also very strong, so I think I impressed a lot of guys doing 21 reps on the bench."
What will he add for the Bears?
"I'm athletic. I'm athletic, I'm a freaky guy," Delance said. "I can get in the box and just play strong wherever it may be. Guard, tackle, I mean I'm trying to get some snaps, I want to be able to play center eventually. So I would tell guys that I'm very valuable, you can put me anywhere. I want to be a plug-and play-guy eventually, a rotational player and work myself into a starter."
Florida had three players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft: cornerback Kaiir Elam (first round, Buffalo Bills), defensive end Zachary Carter (third round, Cincinnati Bengals) and running back Dameon Pierce (fourth round, Houston Texans).
The three draftees were UF's fewest since having only two selections in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Several undrafted players have since inked contracts as undrafted free agents like Delance. Running back Malik Davis signed with the Dallas Cowboys, defensive end Jeremiah Moon signed with the Baltimore Ravens, defensive tackle Tyrone Truesdell signed with the New York Giants and defensive tackle Antonio Valentino signed with the New York Giants.
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Swamp247 will continue to update as more undrafted free agents out of Florida ink deals.
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Jean Delance - Football - Florida Gators
Jean Delance (56) OL - Season Stats (PDF) Career Stats (PDF) COLLEGIATE HONORS East-West Shrine Bowl (2021) ACADEMIC HONORS SEC Academic Honor
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Jean Delance signs as UDFA with Chicago Bears | Flipboard
247sports.com - GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida offensive tackle Jean Delance has signed a deal as an undrafted free agent. On Saturday evening, the Chicago Bears …
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