The Chicago Bears got a head start on free agency, signing All-Pro safety Kevin Byard and re-signing cornerback Jaylon Johnson, inking both before the early negotiating period began at noon Eastern on March 11.
They also traded for Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Ryan Bates, potentially taking three needs off the board before things got rolling.
Once the bell rang, they were off to the races, addressing another need area.
Free Agency: Keep Up With All the Bears? Moves in Free Agency
D?Andre Swift Agrees to 3-yr, $24M Contract
?The #Bears have agreed to terms with RB D?Andre Swift on a three-year, $24 million deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet,? NFL Network?s Mike Garafolo reported on March 11. ?After a career year with the #Eagles, Swift heads to Chicago to be a big piece in Shane Waldron?s offense.?
Swift, 25, is coming off a career year for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He rushed for 1,049 yards on 229 carries with five touchdowns. He added another 214 yards and a score on 39 receptions. His 16 games played were also a career-best.
The 5-foot-9, 215-pound back spent the first three seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions. Detroit selected him in the second round (No. 35 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. He joins Khalil Herbert, 2023 fourth-rounder Roschon Johnson, and specialist Travis Homer in the Bears? backfield.
Interestingly, the Bears have held Swift to his 10th-lowest average yards per carry mark against any team in his career, per Pro Football Reference.
Gerald Everett Agrees to 2-yr, $12 Million Contract
“Bears are giving former Chargers TE Gerald Everett a 2-year, $12 million base value deal with a max value up to $14 million that includes $6.1 million Fully Guaranteed, per source,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X on March 12.
Schefter’s colleague, Jeremy Fowler, reported on the Bears’ negotiating with Everett just a short time before the news.
Everett, 29, has logged 109 receptions for 966 yards and seven touchdowns with the Los Angeles Chargers over the last two seasons. A former second-round pick (No. 44 overall) in 2017 by the Los Angeles Rams, Everett spent four seasons there before joining the Seattle Seahawks in free agency in 2021, working with Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in both stops.
The 6-foot-3 Everett’s eventual signing likely all but guarantees 2023 free agent pickup Robert Tonyan won’t be retained after a failure to launch last season.
Bears to Meet With Former Vikings EDGE D.J. Wonnum
The Chicago Bears are not satisfied with their moves to beef up the pass rush last season. Even with their trade deadline acquisition of Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders.
They still finished the season with the second-fewest sacks in the NFL.
?Free agent pass rusher D.J. Wonnum headed to Carolina on Wednesday to meet with the #Panthers, then to Chicago with the #Bears on Thursday, per source,? ESPN?s Jeremy Fowler reported on March 12. ?Wonnum an intriguing option after eight sacks with the Vikings.?
Wonnum?s 8.0 sacks in 2023 tied his career high (2021) and would have led the Bears last season. He’s also recorded a large chunk of his career sacks on Bears QBs. Sweat only recorded 6.0 of his career-high 12.5 sacks following the trade.
Their next leading pass rusher was free agent Yannick Ngakoue. He notched 4.0 sacks, 0.5 sacks behind departed defensive tackle Justin Jones (Arizona Cardinals). Ngakoue also ended the season on injured reserve with a broken ankle suffered in Week 13.
UPDATE: Wonnum agreed to a two-year, $12.5 million contract with the Carolina Panthers.
Jonathan Owens Agrees to 2-yr, $4.5 Million Contract
?The #Bears have agreed to terms with DB Jonathan Owens on a two-year deal, according to his agent @SunnyTheAgent,? Garafolo reported in a post on March 12. ?Owens had 84 tackles in his one season with the #Packers after spending the first four years of his career with the #Texans.?
Owens, 28, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He didn’t see the field in a game until the 2019 season, and even that was just once.
He’s started 28 of his 34 appearances over the last two seasons, including 11 starts for Green Bay last season.
Owens recorded 76 tackles, 1.0 sacks, one forced fumble, one recovery, and a touchdown. He will likely back up fellow free agent signing Kevin Byard at free safety. He can spell Jaquan Brisker too though. The Bears also still have 2022 drafteee Elijah Hicks under contract.
Bears Sign OL Matt Pryor to 1-Yr Contract
?The Bears are signing veteran OL Matt Pryor to a one-year deal, a source tells me and @kfishbain,? The Athletic?s Adam Jahns reported on X on March 13. ?He spent last season with the 49ers and overlapped with Matt Eberflus with the Colts in 2021.?
?Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham was in Philadelphia when Pryor began his career with the Eagles,? The Athletic?s Kevin Fishbain posted. ?Pryor has appeared in 75 games with 24 starts.?
Pryor, 29, has played in 75 games in his career with 24 starts.
Last season with the 49ers was his first in which his special teams snaps outweighed his offensive snaps since his rookie season, per Pro Football Reference. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 332 pounds, he is a massive presence on the outside as a swing tackle or even at guard.
The Bears still have 2022 draft pick Larry Borom under contract. Reserves Aviante Collins, Jerome Carvin, and Roy Mbaeteka are on the roster as well.
Bears Sign Brett Rypien to 1-Yr Deal
?We have agreed to terms with Brett Rypien on a one-year contract,? the Bears announced in a post on X on March 13. ?Welcome to 312, @brettryp!?
The signing comes pending Rypien, 27, passing a physical. Rypien completed 47.4% of his passes for 172 yards and one interception last season in two games ? one start ? for the Los Angeles Rams. He?s completed 58.3% of his passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions in his career.
Rypien entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Boise St. in 2019. He spent his first three seasons with the Denver Broncos.
He?s also spent time with the Seattle Seahawks ? under Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron ? and the New York Jets.
Rypien is stylistically different from Justin Fields ? or Caleb Williams, for that matter. But he could present a strong challenge for 2023 UDFA Tyson Bagent.
Bears Sign LB Amen Ogbongbemiga to 1-Yr, $2M Contract
?Former #Chargers LB and special teamer Amen Ogbongbemiga is headed to the #Bears, source says,? Garfolo reported on March 13. ?It?s a one-year, $2.1 million deal with a max value of $2.5 million. Ogbongbemiga gets $1.1 million guaranteed as part of the deal.
?Can they get an Amen in Chicago? You bet.?
The Bears announced the signing on March 14, amid some player introductions at Halas Hall, with Kevin Byard and D?Andre Swift both meeting the media.
An undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma St. in 2021, Ogbongbemiga, 25, is going into his fourth season. He has mostly been a special teams player in his career, logging 65% or more of those snaps in every season compared to 11% of the snaps or fewer on defense.
Bears Sign C Coleman Shelton to 1-Yr Contract
?#Bears are expected to sign C Coleman Shelton to a 1-year contract,? the Chicago Tribune?s Brad Biggs reported on X on March 14. ?He comes from the #Rams. An option to compete with Ryan Bates at the position.?
The team confirmed the signing a short while later.
Shelton, 28, has started 30 games over the last two seasons, including all 17 for the Rams last season.
The 6-foot-4, 299-pounder entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Washington in 2018. He got his first shot in a regular season contest in 2019 and could be in position to man the starting job for the Bears, who have shown an interest in this year?s crop of prospects.
Bears Sign Jake Curhan to 1-Yr Deal
?The Bears have agreed to terms with tackle Jake Curhan, his agent @kenny_zuckerman said,? 670 The Score?s Chris Emma reported on X on March 14. An undrafted free agent out of California, he played 29 games with nine starts over three seasons with the Seahawks. Another addition for the offensive line.?
Emma later noted that Curhan was receiving a one-year deal.
Curhan comes with obvious connections to new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who also has ties to Shelton. The 6-foot-6, 316-pound lineman has drawn nine starts in his 29 games over three seasons.
Curhan joins a tackle group that includes starters Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright as well as reserves Larry Borom, Aviante Collins, Jerome Carvin, Roy Mbaeteka and fellow free agent pickup Matt Pryor.
Bears Re-Sign WR Dante Pettis
?The Bears on Friday signed receiver/return specialist Dante Pettis to a one-year contract,? ChicagoBears.com?s Larry Mayer wrote on March 15.
Pettis, 28, did not log a snap in 2023, battling injuries before and during the season. The 6-foot-1 wideout originally entered the league as a second-round pick (No. 44 overall) in the 2018 draft. He has 71 career receptions for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Pettis also spent the 2022 season with the Bears, catching 19 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns.
His greatest impact still figures to be on special teams, where he is a sure-handed return man and stop-gap option Trent Taylor remains a free agent. Most of Pettis? career snaps have come on offense despite his reputation since college on special teams.
Bears Sign Jake Martin to 1-Yr Contract
?The Bears on Saturday agreed to terms with defensive end Jake Martin on a one-year contract, pending a physical,? Chicago Bears.com?s Larry Mayer wrote on March 16.
Martin is a 6-foot-2, 242-pound pass rusher, who spent last season with the Indianapolis Colts where he logged seven tackles and 2.0 sacks in 191 snaps, per Pro Football Reference. He was originally selected in the sixth round of the 2018 draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
He only spent one season with Seattle before moving on to the Houston Texans, where he recorded 10.5 sacks in three seasons.
Martin split the 2022 season between the Denver Broncos and New York Jets.
Remember: These are all agreements to this point. Contracts cannot be made official until March 13 when free agency officially opens. Be sure to check back here for regular updates on all of the Bears’ signings, cuts, and trades this offseason!
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