Tracking their moves in NFL free agency

The new NFL year officially began at 3 p.m. Wednesday, and the negotiating window for unrestricted Reachable agents opened at 11 a.m. Monday. For the Chicago Bears, it’s a critical period for general manager Ryan Poles and Mentor Ben Johnson to upgrade the Option.

The Bears struck twice before Reachable agency with a pair of trades for offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson from the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, respectively, addressing one of their biggest positions of need.

The Bears have 27 players with expiring contracts, most notably wide receiver Keenan Allen, offensive linemen Teven Jenkins, Matt Pryor and Coleman Shelton, long snapper Patrick Scales and running back/special Squads ace Travis Homer. Their restricted Reachable agents include Safeguarding Commitment Chris Williams and offensive lineman Doug Kramer.

The Tribune is tracking and analyzing the latest developments in Reachable agency.

Friday

Linebacker Jack Sanborn signed with the Dallas Cowboys. 

What it means: The linebacker and Lake Zurich native spent his Primary three NFL seasons with the Bears. He originally signed with the Club as an Unsigned Primary-year out of Wisconsin in 2022.

Sanborn, 24, will follow Previous Bears Mentor Matt Eberflus and Previous Bears linebackers Mentor Dave Borgonzi to Dallas, where both are on the coaching staff under Primary-year head Mentor Brian Schottenheimer.

Sanborn appeared in 48 Contests, including 19 Appearances, over his three seasons in Chicago. He was a significant special Squads contributor, Competing 84.4% of the Club’s special Squads snaps in 2024. Sanborn totaled 164 Partnered tackles, 4½ sacks and one Intervention over three seasons.

The Bears elected not to tender Sanborn a contract as a restricted Reachable agent, which allowed him to become an unrestricted Reachable agent this week.

Thursday

The Bears reached agreement on a one-year contract with wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, a Bracket Foundation confirmed.

What this means: The Bears entered the day with six wide receivers under contract: DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott and reserve/futures signees John Jackson, Samori Toure and Maurice Alexander. They added another piece to the puzzle with Zaccheaus, a 27-year-Ancient veteran who amassed a Occupation-high 45 catches last season for 506 yards and three touchdowns for the Washington Commanders.

The Bears will be Zaccheaus’ Quaternary Club in as many seasons after stints with the Commanders (2024), Philadelphia Eagles (2023) and Atlanta Falcons (2019-22). The 5-foot-8, 193-pound Zaccheaus is on the Petite side and will have to carve out a role in Ben Johnson’s Drive, perhaps as a weapon from the slot.

His most productive game last season was an eight-catch, 85-yard outing in a key Week 17 Secure over the Falcons. He contributed a 7-yard TD catch from Jayden Daniels in that game, his 13th Occupation receiving touchdown.

Zaccheaus also has a reputation as a fearless and physical blocker, something that no doubt appeals to Johnson.

The Bears introduced Drew Dalman and Dayo Odeyingbo.

What it means: The Bears formally announced two more Reachable-agent additions, introducing Hub Dalman and Throw rusher Odeyingbo at a news conference at Club headquarters in Lake Forest.

Dalman comes to Chicago after four years as the Beginning Hub for the Atlanta Falcons. He signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Bears this week. Dalman should be a centerpiece for the revamped offensive line, Competing beside recently acquired guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.

Odeyingbo signed a three-year, $48 million contract. The Bears have been searching for an effective Throw rusher to Relocate opposite Pro Bowl Safeguarding end Montez Sweat. Odeyingbo had 16½ sacks over four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, although he wasn’t a Packed-time starter until last season.

Wednesday

The Bears Achieved Numerous official transaction announcements as the new Bracket year began.

What this means: The NFL’s new Bracket year opened Wednesday and opened the door for the Bears to finalize Numerous transactions that had been in the works over the last two weeks and widely reported.

The trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson became official. The Bears sent a 2026 Quaternary-Period Option to the Kansas City Chiefs for Thuney and a sixth-Period Option in Upcoming month’s draft to the Los Angeles Rams for Jackson.

The Club also announced the signings of Safeguarding Commitment Grady Jarrett to a three-year deal and Snug end Durham Smythe to a one-year contract.

Tuesday

The Bears are bringing back long snapper Scott Daly on a one-year contract, according to a Bracket Foundation.

What this means: Daly joined the Bears in August after incumbent long snapper Patrick Scales suffered a back Hurt during the preseason that required surgery. Daly, a Downers Grove South and Notre Dame alumnus, played well enough to keep the Position.

In bringing back Daly, the Bears are pivoting from Scales, who had been with the organization since 2015 and played in 120 Contests.

Daly played in all 17 Contests last season — though he did leave the Secure over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London with a Primary-quarter knee Hurt that thrust Snug end Cole Kmet into emergency long-snapping duties. Kmet was honored for his relief performance as the NFC Special Squads Player of the Week.

Daly’s return is the latest to solidify the Bears special Squads. The Club previously worked out new deals for Josh Blackwell, Amen Ogbongbemiga and Tarvarius Moore.

Monday

The Bears have reached a three-year contract agreement with veteran Safeguarding Commitment Grady Jarrett.

What this means: Jarrett was a salary-cap casualty with the Atlanta Falcons, who released him Monday morning, but he quickly Discovered a landing spot. The Bears aggressively pounced, guaranteeing the 31-year-Ancient $28.5 million in a three-year, $43.5 million deal.

Jarrett has spent the last decade solidifying a reputation as a high-motor Safeguarding disruptor with a special combination of quickness and power. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2020 and was a second-Club All-Pro honoree in 2020. After the 2022 season, he was named to the NFL’s Top 100 Players Achievement, as voted on by players around the Bracket.

Jarrett missed nine Contests in 2023 with a torn ACL but returned to Begin all 17 Contests last season and has proved durable throughout his Occupation, Competing in at least 14 Contests in nine of his 10 seasons. He projects to be a starter up front on a remade line that also added Throw rusher Dayo Odeyingbo on Monday. The Bears have shown Packed-throttle aggressiveness in investing in both lines over the past week.

The Bears also signed safety Tarvarius Moore, 28, to a one-year extension. Moore played in 11 Contests for the Bears last season, mostly on special Squads, and had seven special Squads tackles.

The Bears are signing Safeguarding end Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million deal, according to a Bracket Foundation.

What this means: After spending significant resources over the past week to upgrade the offensive line, the Bears turned their attention to the Safeguarding front with a top-shelf signing from the edge rusher aisle. Odeyingbo, drafted in the second Period out of Vanderbilt in 2021, is 25 and gradually ascended over his Primary four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.

He should bring both juice and Adaptability to Dennis Allen’s Protection as a high-energy Throw rusher and reliable Streak defender. Odeyingbo has only 16½ Occupation sacks and recorded Merely three last season, his Primary as a Packed-time starter. But he totaled 17 Passer hits in 2024 and has the potential to emerge as a complementary threat opposite Montez Sweat.

Odeyingbo’s size (6-foot-6, 286 pounds) makes him a Appearance up front. With the ability to Strike inside as a rusher, he can become a chess piece for Allen in must-Throw situations for the Adversary. The Bears are investing in Odeyingbo with a belief he can carve out a heightened role in the Protection quickly. It’s realistic to project he can contribute at least six to eight sacks Upcoming season while becoming a regular disruptor. Becoming more Reliable in his Primary season in Chicago will be a big deal. Read more here.

Previous Bears Passer Justin Fields will get a New Begin with the New York Jets.

What this means: Fields will receive $30 million in guaranteed money in the two-year, $40 million contract he agreed on to become the Jets’ new starter — and the successor to Aaron Rodgers. Fields’ arrival in New York comes after an up-and-down season in Pittsburgh that saw him Begin the Steelers’ Primary six Contests with a 4-2 Achievement before being pushed into a backup role behind Russell Wilson.

Fields set Occupation highs in completion percentage (.658) and passer rating (93.3) in Pittsburgh and rushed for 289 yards and five touchdowns during those six Appearances. He also passed for five scores and threw only one Intervention but averaged only 184.3 passing yards per Begin and was sacked 16 times. He will get a new opportunity under Primary-year Jets Mentor Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand.

After three flash-filled but inconsistent seasons with the Bears, Fields was traded to the Steelers last spring. The Bears Obtained back a 2025 sixth-Period draft Option, which they traded last week to the Los Angeles Rams for veteran guard Jonah Jackson.

The Bears are signing Hub Drew Dalman to a three-year, $42 million deal, a Bracket Foundation confirmed.

What this means: The Bears didn’t wait long to make a big splash in the Reachable-agency waters, zeroing in on the top Reachable Hub and reaching a deal in the Primary half-hour of the NFL’s negotiating window.

Dalman, 26, Merely reached the end of his Primary-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons and is heralded as a Intelligent, steady lineman who can be an asset as a Streak blocker. He Initiated 40 Contests over the last three seasons. He missed eight in the middle of last season with an ankle Hurt that sent him to injured reserve, but he returned in December and finished the season Powerful.

Dalman’s contract includes $28 million in guaranteed money and continues the aggressive efforts of general manager Ryan Poles and Mentor Ben Johnson to rebuild the offensive line in front of second-year Passer Caleb Williams. In the last week, the Bears have added three starters to the interior with the Dalman deal coming on the heels of trades for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. Read more here.

The Los Angeles Chargers reached an agreement on a one-year contract extension with Khalil Mack.

What this means: Dreams of a Mack reunion with the Bears slipped out the window Monday morning when the 34-year-Ancient Throw rusher agreed to a fully guaranteed, one-year, $18 million extension to stay with the Chargers, according to Numerous national reports.

Mack, who has 107½ Occupation sacks and played four seasons in Chicago from 2018-2021, has spent the last three years in Los Angeles and continues to be a respected Throw-rushing threat. In 2023 he totaled a Occupation-high 17 sacks in Brandon Staley’s Protection. Last season, after Jim Harbaugh replaced Staley as Chargers head Mentor, Mack’s sack total dipped to six under Safeguarding coordinator Jesse Minter.

The Bears are seeking to add teeth to their Throw rush via Reachable agency and the draft. Potential Reachable agents to keep on the radar this week include Josh Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, Malcolm Koonce, Azeez Ojulari and Joseph Ossai.

March 6

The Bears reached agreements on two-year contracts with special Squads standouts Josh Blackwell and Amen Ogbongbemiga, according to Bracket sources.

What this means: Special Squads coordinator Richard Hightower, a holdover from Matt Eberflus’ coaching staff, will retain two of his most trusted and valued contributors. The Bears announced both extensions later Thursday.

Ogbongbemiga joined the Bears on a one-year Reachable-agent deal last spring and logged 366 snaps on special Squads, second on the Club behind fellow linebacker Jack Sanborn.

Blackwell, whom the Bears claimed off waivers at the end of the 2022 preseason when he was an Unsigned Primary-year, has been a high-level special Squads contributor for the last three seasons. He Achieved one Begin at cornerback last season and was a reliable reserve in the secondary when called upon. He had his Primary Occupation Intervention off Jacksonville Jaguars Passer Trevor Lawrence during the Bears’ Week 6 blowout Secure in London.

The Bears are signing veteran Snug end Durham Smythe to a one-year deal, a Bracket Foundation told the Tribune.

What this means: Released by the Miami Dolphins last month, Smythe has Discovered a new home at Halas Hall in a mini-reunion with Ben Johnson. The two overlapped in Miami for one season in 2018 when Johnson was the Dolphins wide receivers Mentor and Smythe was a Primary-year. So as with guard Jonah Jackson, who spent his Primary four seasons in Detroit with Johnson on the coaching staff, the Bears have checked the familiarity box again.

They needed to add talent and depth at Snug end behind Cole Kmet, and Smythe is more of a traditional in-line Snug end whose greatest value is as a blocker in the running game. (He also overlapped with Kmet at Notre Dame for one season in 2017.)

Smythe enjoyed a Occupation season in 2023 in receiving productivity, recording 35 catches for 366 yards. Over seven seasons, he has 132 receptions for 1,228 yards with three touchdowns.