BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Undrafted out of Florida State, Chicago Bears rookie linebacker Christian Jones would seem to face long odds to make the roster.

But at this point, perhaps it would be a surprise if Jones doesn’t make the team.

“He’s a work in progress,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said. “You can see what he looks like out there. He’s a big, strong man who can run all day. He’s in great condition. He continues to learn and grow, and he’s certainly in the hunt each and every day to make the football team.”

Jones thrust himself into that position by continuing to impress during workouts, going all the way back to the offseason, organized team activities and minicamps. In fact, by the time the Bears took the field for their last minicamp back in June, Jones had worked himself up the depth chart to the second team.

The question now is whether Jones can maintain the momentum. Through the first seven practices, Jones appears to be one of the most athletic linebackers on the team, and probably the only true strongside linebacker at the position.

“He’s showing he deserves the opportunity to work and practice, and it’s fun to see because he’s coming from a long way to put himself in this position,” Trestman said. “The athleticism is there. The explosiveness is there. The burst is there. The physicality is there. It’s evident that he’ll play that way. It’s just the learning process; there’s just so much for a young guy to know.”