Bears adding to secondary with two-time Pro Bowler

This contract will carry a base value of $15M, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds. Byard was set to visit a non-Chicago suitor today, per a previous Rapoport report. Instead, he has an agreement in place which will send him to the Windy City. Like all players released prior to free agency, he was free to sign with a team at any time.

Considering the Bears (a team which had nearly $63M in cap space as of Sunday) hosted Byard Saturday, this news comes as little surprise. The 30-year-old was one of several decorated safeties on the open market after a large number of them were let go in the build-up to the new league year. The Eagles traded for Byard at the deadline in 2023, but they cut him earlier this month as part of a notable re-shaping of their secondary.

Prior to his Philadelphia stint, the former third-rounder had a productive tenure with the Titans from 2016 through to this fall. Byard earned a Pro Bowl nod as well as first-team All-Pro honors in the 2017 and 2021 seasons and he has remained a full-time starter for the past seven years. He will be expected to provide experience and high-end production in Chicago given the terms of his new deal.

The Bears released Eddie Jackson this offseason, marking an end to his seven-year run with the franchise. Byard will take on Jackson’s starting role alongside Jaquan Brisker on the backend. Given the latter’s play to begin his career, along with the other young pieces in place in the Bears’ secondary, the team could be well-positioned to improve on its 25th place finish against the pass from 2023.

Standout corner Jaylon Johnson will be a major part of that effort, as he landed a lucrative extension shortly after receiving the franchise tag. Johnson had a breakout campaign in terms of ball production in particular last season, and continued play in that regard will go a long way to ensuring defensive success for Chicago. Byard will aim to play a central role in that regard as well.

The latter notched one interception and three pass breakups in his Eagles tenure; when taking his time with the Titans into account, Byard recorded over 100 tackles for the third time in the past four seasons. This pact represents a step back financially compared to his Titans extensions (averaging $14.1M, then $12.55M per season), but it comes during what could be a buyer’s market at the position. Byard’s deal will likely be used as a barometer as other safeties find new teams over the course of free agency.