The Cleveland Browns lost one of their top defensive performers as linebacker Devin Bush agreed to terms with the Chicago Bears.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Bush signed a three-year, $30 million deal with $21 million guaranteed. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed the agreement.
The Browns had hoped to retain Bush after a strong 2025 season alongside Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger. After posting 76 tackles in 2024, Bush exploded last seeason, finishing with a career-high 125 tackles — good for 22nd leaguewide — along with seven tackles for loss, two sacks, eight pass defenses and a team-high three interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
He was one of only four Browns defenders to play all 17 games, joining Schwesinger, Ronnie Hickman and Myles Garrett. PFF graded Bush at 87.6 overall — fourth among all linebackers in the NFL.
Bush had a pick-six in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens and added another interception return for a touchdown in Week 18 against Cincinnati.
Browns Need to Fill Hole After Devin Bush Departure
Bush’s exit leaves a significant hole next to Schwesinger in what had been one of the league’s best linebacking tandems.
As for a replacement, there had been some hope that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah would return next season. He has not played since suffering a neck injury in October 2024. At the NFL Combine, general manager Andrew Berry offered little reason for optimism on a potential return.
“I’d say this: We are dealing with Jeremiah from month to month,” Berry said. “I’m not necessarily overly optimistic, but there isn’t a hard deadline where we have to make some type of binding decision.”
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported it’s doubtful Owusu-Koramoah ever returns to the field. The Browns’ 2023 Pro Bowler — who totaled 101 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss that season — remains under contract through 2027 with $11 million guaranteed in 2026.
The Browns will now look to free agency to fill the hole in their linebacking corps.
Browns Already Being Left Behind in Free Agency
Bush’s departure is just the latest blow of an already sobering start to free agency for Cleveland. Quarterback Malik Willis, wide receiver Mike Evans and center Tyler Linderbaum — three names on the Browns’ radar — all came off the board Monday before the legal tampering period was barely underway.
Willis signed with the Miami Dolphins, though the Browns were never viewed as a serious suitor.
Evans, one of the most reliable receivers in NFL history, agreed to a three-year contract worth $60.4 million with the San Francisco 49ers. The 11-time Pro Bowler would have been a legitimate upgrade for a Browns offense that ranked 31st in passing yards per game last season. But Cleveland was never expected to be a player for a receiver at that price point.
Linderbaum’s deal with the Las Vegas Raiders made him the highest-paid center in NFL history. The Browns, who are working to rebuild their offensive line after losing multiple starters, were reportedly monitoring the center market. Linderbaum was widely considered the top interior lineman available.
The Browns signed offensive guard Zion Johnson on Monday. He’s a former first-round pick who spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Browns Lose 125-Tackle Defensive Standout to Bears in Free Agency