Bears reportedly sign two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Bears continued upgrading their linebacking corps on Monday, reportedly signing former Bills star linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported the Bears signed Edmunds to a four-year, $72 million deal, with $50 million guaranteed. Earlier, the Bears also signed former Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards to a three-year deal.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Edmunds deal is the largest 4-year contract for an inside linebacker in the NFL.
Edmunds was a first-round pick of the Bills back in 2018, and immediately became a high-level starter for the team. He made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2019 and 2020, though he has been a bit overshadowed by now-former teammate Matt Milano over the past couple seasons. Still, Edmunds is just 24 years old (he turns 25 in May) and likely has several years of quality linebacker play left in him. He should be a valuable, versatile piece for Matt Eberflus' defense.
He is coming off a season when he had 102 tackles, six tackles for loss, seven passes defended, three QB hits, one sack, and one interception. He had five straight seasons with at least 100 tackles in Buffalo, and was the first player in NFL history to have two 100-tackle seasons before turning 21.
Teaming him up with Edwards gives the Bears one of the better young linebacker duos in the NFL.
Last season, the Bears traded Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens, and he signed a five-year, $100 million deal to stay in Baltimore. Chicago distributed almost the same money between Edmunds and Edwards.
Splurging for players at non-premium positions is not necessarily the wisest way to spend in free agency, but the Bears do have the cash to burn and needs at almost every position. Chicago began overhauling the back end of its defense last year with the draft picks of Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon, and now must continue adding talent along the defensive front to free those back-seven players to make plays.