Chicago Bears Ink Veteran Safety to 1-Year Deal: Report

Bears sign safety Deon Bush

Getty Deon Bush of the Chicago Bears.

When the Chicago Bears signed safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to a one-year, $3 million contract last spring, no one was certain how long he would be around. Many felt Clinton-Dix would sign another deal elsewhere this offseason — and that came to fruition when he signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys.

Not even a day after Clinton-Dix signed with Dallas, the Bears re-signed veteran safety Deon Bush to a one-year deal worth $1.4 million, per NFL insider Adam Schefter.

Bush has spent his entire career with the Bears, and according to The Athletic’s Adam Jahns, Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano “thinks very highly” of the fourth-year safety.

Bush was drafted by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and he has only started eight games in his four seasons, none of which were in 2019. He started six games his rookie year, but he has been a capable backup since his arrival. Does this mean he’s about to get a shot at the strong safety position opposite All-Pro Eddie Jackson? All signs are pointing that way.


Could the Bears Still Sign Someone Like Vonn Bell or Tony Jefferson?

A few names tossed around as candidates to fill the safety void in Chicago were Vonn Bell and former  Baltimore Raven Tony Jefferson. Could the Bears still grab one of them off the market? Considering their remaining needs coupled with their salary cap space, that seems highly unlikely.

Chicago is still in desperate need of offensive line help; the team needs a new starting guard to go with another Cody Whitehair-type presence who can provide versatility and  durability — especially after the retirement of guard Kyle Long. The Bears also need help at tight end, linebacker, and cornerback — and there isn’t much money left to go around, especially after the signings of defensive lineman Robert Quinn and quarterback Nick Foles.

What seems more likely, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune noted, is that the Bears re-sign veteran Sherrick McManis, who is currently a free agent and the longest-tendured member of the team, or  safety DeAndre Houston-Carson, who has primarily been a special teams contributor. Both are affordable enough, considering the Bears have very little cap space left to make any splash moves, unless they were to make a trade involving multiple players.

Bush has played in 54 games for the Bears, and he has three passes defense, a forced fumble, and a sack in that time.

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