Tag: bears linebacker

Report: Bears to sign former Steelers LB Buddy Johnson

According to Aaron Wilson, the Bears are signing former Steelers linebacker Buddy Johnson.

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The Chicago Bears are bringing in defensive help ahead of training camp, but it’s not at the edge rusher position as many expected.

According to KPRC reporter and NFL insider Aaron Wilson, the Bears are signing former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Buddy Johnson to a deal.

Johnson was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. He played in just four games his rookie season, primarily on special teams. He totaled just two tackles.

Johnson couldn’t climb the depth chart entering his second season in Steelers camp and was waived during roster cutdowns. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers practice squad prior to the 2022 season and now comes to the Bears in an attempt to restart his career.

For weeks, a defensive signing was expected by the Bears, but many assumed it would be to address edge rusher, not inside linebacker. Johnson will compete with reserve players such as Sterling Weatherford, DeMarquis Gates, and Kuony Deng for a roster spot when training camp practices get underway this Wednesday.

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3 things to know about new Bears LB Noah Sewell

Here are a few things to know about new Bears linebacker Noah Sewell.

The Chicago Bears added another linebacker to their bevvy of additions this offseason, selecting Oregon’s Noah Sewell with the No. 148 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. Sewell joins the Bears in hopes of competing with the team’s new and improved linebacker room that includes Tremaine and Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Jack Sanborn.

Sewell will look to earn reps on defense but will also play a role on special teams with his unique size and strength. He had impressive tackle totals in 2021, notching 114 (8.5 for a loss) but those numbers dipped down to 56 tackles (5.5 for a loss) in 2022. Here are a few things to know about the new linebacker coming to Chicago.

Nick Kwiatkoski had ‘no idea’ how his free agency would pan out

Nick Kwiatkoski was aware the Bears weren’t going to keep both him and Danny Trevathan. But he wasn’t sure how free agency would pan out.

When inside linebacker Danny Trevathan went down with a season-ending elbow injury, Nick Kwiatkoski stepped up in his absence and wound up being one of the Chicago Bears’ best defensive players in 2019.

Kwiatkoski had a career season with the Bears last year, where he started the final seven games in place of Trevathan and tallied 76 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four pass deflections.

“Our linebacker room last year, we did a great job of preparing as one like we’re all playing,” Kwiatkoski said, via The Athletic. “That helped a lot. Just going into each game week like, ‘Hey, you might be in, so let’s prepare like it.’ That’s the mindset I took all last year. And then I got the opportunity.”

Kwiatkoski’s impressive performance made him a favorite to earn a big deal in free agency. The only question was whether or not that deal would come from Chicago or someone else.

According The Athletic, Kwiatkoski was aware that the Bears weren’t going to keep both him and Danny Trevathan. But he wasn’t sure how free agency would pan out for him — whether that meant staying in Chicago or going elsewhere.

“It was a unique situation in Chicago and, honestly, I had no idea,” Kwiatkoski said. “As it came closer to free agency, it kind of played itself out and I knew I was going to have to go somewhere else.”

Ultimately, Kwiatkoski did wind up landing a big free-agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Raiders, which includes $13.75 million guaranteed.

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Why was Danny Trevathan so determined to remain a Bear?

Danny Trevathan decided to forgo free agency to re-sign with the Bears because he’s got unfinished business with Super Bowl expectations.

In the Chicago Bears’ storied history that includes many dominant defenses, there was a time in the not-so-recent past where the Bears defense was one of the worst in the NFL.

Not necessarily what you expect to hear when discussing Bears and defense.

Danny Trevathan was one of the players brought in to turn around a struggling Bears defense and get them back to their dominating ways.

While he had to suffer through a couple of abysmal seasons under John Fox, the Bears defense was creating something special, and he was one of the backbones of that defensive archetype.

The Bears defense has been one of, if not the best defenses of the last two years. Trevathan has been playing some of his best football in Chicago, and it made it an easy decision for the Bears to keep him there.

Trevathan signed a three-year extension to remain with the Bears through 2022. According to NFL Network, the deal is worth $24 million with $14 million guaranteed.

So why did Trevathan decide to forgo free agency and re-sign with the Bears so quickly? Simply put, he doesn’t want to mess up a good thing.

“You don’t want to mess up stuff that’s already good,” he said, via the Sun-Times. “I feel like this was home. They’ve been nothing but good to me. I feel like we have something special here. My work here is not done. The whole goal is to bring a Super Bowl back here, and I feel like we’re so close. I didn’t want to shy away from that.”

With Trevathan’s re-signing, the Bears solidified the middle of their linebacker corp. with Trevathan and Roquan Smith, who have been a dominant force for Chicago over the last two seasons.

But there was a decision to be made at inside linebacker for the Bears. When Trevathan suffered a fluke elbow injury in a Week 10 game against the Lions, Nick Kwiatkoski thrived in relief of Trevathan for the remainder of the season.

Kwiatkoski, also a free agent, was set to test the free agent waters, and many wondered if the Bears would choose to retain Kwiatkoski or Trevathan.

While Kwiatkoski appeared to be the younger and healthier option, the Bears ultimately went with Trevathan, who played up to his original contract.

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5 takeaways from Danny Trevathan’s 3-year extension

The Bears locked up a vital member of their dominant defense in Danny Trevathan. Here’s what Trevathan’s extension means for Chicago.

The Bears had an important decision to make at inside linebacker this offseason — re-sign Danny Trevathan or Nick Kwiatkoski.

While there was a ton of debate as to whether the Bears should extend Trevathan or Kwiatkoski, general manager Ryan Pace ultimately made the decision to keep Trevathan in Chicago after he played out his four-year contract he signed back in 2016.

The Bears signed Trevathan to a three-year extension to keep him on the Bears through 2022, which is an important move for a Chicago defense looking to maintain their dominance from the previous two seasons.

Here are five takeaways from Trevathan’s extension with the Bears:

1. The Bears locked up a valuable member of their defense

AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron

There’s been a lot of discussion about Nick Kwiatkoski supplanting Trevathan as Chicago’s starting linebacker opposite Roquan Smith. But what seemed to get lost in all of that hype was the fact that Trevathan has been a big reason for the success of this defense over the last few years.

When healthy, Trevathan is an absolute force in this defense. Trevathan was playing some of his best football at the time of his elbow injury. He had 70 tackles in nine games, second only to Smith’s 99 after 13 games. Now, the Bears get to keep the duo of Trevathan and Smith together for the foreseeable future, which should be nothing short of thrilling for Bears fans.

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Bears sign Danny Trevathan to three-year extension

The Chicago Bears locked up a valuable piece of their defense — and maintained a team leader — ahead of free agency.

The Chicago Bears locked up a valuable piece of their defense — and maintained a team leader — ahead of free agency.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Bears have agreed to terms with inside linebacker Danny Trevathan on a three-year extension.

You have to wonder what went ultimately went into the decision to re-sign Trevathan over fellow free agent Nick Kwiatkoski. There were reports that the Bears planned to make Kwiatkoski a free-agent priority, but that could’ve been smoke and mirrors.

Perhaps that was due to Kwiatkoski’s asking price, as he was assumed to be a top inside linebacker target in free agency.

While Trevathan has had his share of injury struggles — he has missed 16 games since signing with the Bears prior to the 2015 season — he has proven to be a valuable member of Chicago’s defense.

Trevathan was playing some of his best football — and was arguably the Bears’ best defender — at the time of his fluke elbow injury in Week 10 that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Trevathan’s contract extension keeps him paired with Roquan Smith in the middle of Chicago’s linebacker corps. But the Bears locked up an important piece of their defense before the start of the new league year.

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Bears re-sign LB Devante Bond to 1-year deal

LB Devante Bond appeared in three games for the Bears last season on special teams, where he recorded three tackles.

The Bears re-signed inside linebacker Devante Bond to a one-year extension, the team announced Saturday.

Chicago signed the former sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma back on Dec. 9. Bond appeared in three games for the Bears last season on special teams, where he recorded three tackles.

Bond started his career with the Buccaneers, where he appeared in 29 games with six starts in three seasons. He had 26 tackles and one tackle-for-loss.

Last season, Bond played in four games for Tampa Bay, where he had three tackles, before he was released on Oct. 15. Bond led the Buccaneers with 10 special-teams tackles.

The Bears are facing an uncertain future at inside linebacker with pending free agents Nick Kwiatkoski and Danny Trevathan, who could be on their way out of Chicago.

While Bond’s extension provides depth at the position — and locks up a valuable special teams asset — the Bears still have questions looming at inside linebacker heading into free agency.

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