Bryce Callahan has found a new home.
The former Chicago Bears cornerback is signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, the team announced on May 4. He’ll join a defense featuring former Bears All-Pro Khalil Mack, who he played with in Chicago during the 2018 season, on unit that surrendered the fewest points in the league (17.7).
An undrafted free agent out of Rice, Callahan signed with the Bears in 2015 and spent his first four seasons in Chicago, playing in 45 games and starting 29. The 30-year-old corner signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Denver Broncos in 2019, but as has happened often in his career, he missed a significant amount of time due to injuries.
Now, he’ll join a loaded cornerbacks room that includes J.C. Jackson and Asante Samuel Jr.
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Bears Had Opportunity to Reunite With Callahan
Callahan was a free agent this offseason, and the Bears had a major need at corner, so a reunion was possible. Chicago chose to address that need in the draft instead, selecting former Washington corner Kyler Gordon with its first pick in the second round at No 39 overall.
Considering Chicago has the likes of Thomas Graham Jr., Lamar Jackson, BoPete Keyes and Kindle Vildor in the cornerbacks room along with Gordon and Jaylon Johnson, adding a veteran to the mix was — and still is — possible. It just won’t be Callahan, who has primarily served as a slot corner over his six years.
“Bryce is a damn good football player,” former Bears defensive coordinator and ex-Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said about Callahan in 2021, per the Broncos’ official website. “Really quick, really elusive, great instincts for football [and] tough to tackle after he catches it,” Fangio added. “He’s really one of the top slots in the league.”
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Injuries Have Been Primary Issue for Callahan
While Callahan has spent six years in the league, he has never played a full season. He dealt with minor hamstring and other issues his first few years before suffering a broken foot in 2018. He missed the entire 2019 season — his first with the Broncos — due to complications from the resulting surgery, and a different foot injury limited him to 10 games in 2020.
Callahan also missed six games last year with a knee injury, but as is usually the case, he was effective when he was on the field. He allowed a completion percentage of 56.8%, surrendering a lone touchdown on 37 targets in 10 games and 329 coverage snaps, according to PFF. He has amassed 194 total tackles (15 for loss), 29 passes defensed, a forced fumble, six interceptions and 5.0 sacks in 66 career games.
“I’m tired of the injuries more than anybody else,” Callahan told USA Today in June 2021. “It’s something you can kind of control and can’t control. It is what it is.”
“I never go into a season not wanting to finish (playing a full regular season),” he added. “It’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.”
We’ll see if Callahan can turn his luck around and stay on the field a full season in 2022.
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Ex-Bears Starting Defender Reunites With Khalil Mack in AFC