The Chicago Bears enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025, thanks in large part to the pairing of head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. While these guys have deserved their fair share of praise, they weren’t the only guys responsible for the team’s strong season. On defense, perhaps the most important player for Chicago this season was safety Kevin Byard.
In his second year with the Bears, Byard turned in one of the most impressive seasons of his career, which helped him earn his third selection as both a Pro Bowler and First Team All-Pro. And yet, with free agency looming for Byard, it sounds like he doesn’t know whether or not he will be returning to Chicago this offseason.
Kevin Byard Keeps it Real When Discussing Impending Free Agency
Interestingly, after such a great year in Chicago he said he’s still looking forward to finding clarity on his future with the #Bears as an impending free agent.
Byard spent the first seven-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans, where he turned himself into one of the most consistent safeties in the league. Byard’s play appeared to be declining towards the end of his tenure with the team, though, which led to him getting traded to the Philadelphia Eagles midway through the 2023 campaign.
In 2024, Byard found his way to the Bears, and he’s since revitalized himself as one of the top players at his position. Byard is fresh off one of the best years of his career, as he led the league in interceptions (seven) for the second time in his career, while also racking up 93 tackles and eight pass deflections at the backend of Chicago’s defense.
Even as he prepares to enter his age-33 season, Byard has proven he still has a lot to offer at this stage of his career. And yet, he doesn’t know whether or not he will be returning to the Bears in free agency. While Byard is expecting to begin discussing a new deal with Chicago soon, he refused to commit to the team when speaking about his upcoming stint in free agency.
“I’m a pending free agent, so don’t know if I’m gonna be back just yet,” Byard admitted, per NFL insider Josina Anderson. “Those conversations are probably gonna get started here pretty soon … I know (Ryan) Poles and Ben Johnson, they’ve got a lot of decisions to make as far as our roster, trying to see how everybody fits in there. I’m hoping to be able to come back … but we’ll see. It’s still unknown right now.”
Should the Bears Re-Sign Kevin Byard?
GettyKevin Byard III #31 of the Chicago Bears runs on to the field prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers.
On paper, it seems like the Bears should be looking to pursue a reunion with Byard. He helped anchor a defense that wasn’t always at its best in 2025, and he’s proven that even as he’s getting older, he still has some gas left in the tank. Chicago shouldn’t overpay for Byard, given his age, but it also shouldn’t look to move on from him if the two sides can’t find common ground with each other right off the bat.
Byard will likely be looking for a two-to-three year contract that averages somewhere between $10-12 million per year. Anything in that range is definitely affordable for the Bears, but they shouldn’t exactly be in a rush to overpay for him, even when considering his strong 2025 campaign. Right now, there’s no momentum towards a return for Byard, but that could change once the two sides hit the negotiating table.
All-Pro Safety Kevin Byard Drops Truth Bomb on Bears’ Future Ahead of Free Agency