Bears Lock Down Veteran DL With $8.5 Million Contract Extension

Getty The Chicago Bears locked down veteran interior defensive lineman Andrew Billings on a two-year contract extension on Thursday, November 2.

The Chicago Bears have signed veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings to a two-year contract extension, rewarding one of their most consistent 2023 free agent additions with a new deal that keeps him in Chicago through 2025.

Billings originally signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Bears in March but has played beyond expectations as the nose tackle for Chicago’s defense through the first half of the season. He has also helped the Bears turn around their run defense from second-worst in the league in 2022 to third-best over the first eight games of 2023.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Billings’ new contract is worth $8.5 million — the biggest payday of his eight-year career — and includes $6 million guaranteed.

“We’re extremely excited to be able to keep Andrew in Chicago,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said, via the team’s official website. “The professionalism, dependability and toughness he brings exhibit the type of player we want in our organization.”

The Bears now have three interior defensive linemen locked down for at least the next two seasons with rookies Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens signed through 2026. Given the value, Billings’ extension will also not take a meaningful chuck out of the Bears’ 2024 cap space, which is currently projected to be a league-leading $110 million.

Andrew Billings ‘Sees a Future Here’ With Bears

Billings has struggled to find a long-term fit over the past few years of his NFL career. The Cincinnati Bengals took him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft and kept him for the duration of his four-year rookie contract, but he bounced around between the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders over the next three seasons before finally landing with the Bears in 2023 free agency.

Now, at least for the next two and a half years, Billings has found a home and “sees a future here” in Chicago with the Bears’ rebuilding defense.

Will Bears Extend Montez Sweat or Jaylon Johnson Next?

Billings has earned his new contract with the Bears after a consistent start to his career in Chicago, but it is probably not the extension news that fans are waiting to hear.

The two biggest extension topics around the Bears at the moment are cornerback Jaylon Johnson and new defensive end Montez Sweat, who are each set to become unrestricted free agents when the 2024 league year begins next March. And while both situations are different, there is a bit too much uncertainty around both players.

The situation with Johnson has unraveled some over the past few weeks. He and his agent recently met with the Bears to negotiate a new contract, but talks ended without any signs of progress, ultimately leading Johnson to request a trade on the day of the October 31 trade deadline. Even with the Bears deciding not to trade him, though, it is unclear if the two sides will be able to bridge the gap and reach a long-term agreement.

Sweat’s situation is a little different; although, perhaps more concerning. The Bears traded their 2024 second-round pick — projected to be a top-40 selection — to acquire Sweat from the Washington Commanders at the deadline, but they appear to have done so without clear plans to negotiate a long-term extension for him. Without a deal, the potential exists for Sweat to either be a half-season rental for the Bears or force them to use their franchise tag to retain him for the 2024 season.

Of course, there is still time for the Bears to resolve both situations in a way that suits them, but fans understandably have their reservations about the front office’s approach.