Bears re-sign running back Cunningham, pick up veteran guard

Posted April 03, 2018 1:00 am

By Bob LeGere

Versatile five-year veteran running back Benny Cunningham did a little bit of a lot of things for the Bears last year, and he'll be back for the 2018 season after re-signing for one year.

An unrestricted free agent, Cunningham, 27, visited the Saints before re-upping with the Bears, where he could see occasional playing time on third downs behind starter Jordan Howard and top backup Tarik Cohen, in addition to remaining a core special-teams player.

Cunningham tied Sherrick McManis for the team lead with 12 special-teams tackles last year, including a Bears-best nine solos. He also caught 20 passes for 240 yards (career-best 12.0-yard average) and 2 touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 217-pound Cunningham played 229 snaps on special teams and returned 7 kickoffs for 147 yards (21.0-yard average). He is second among active players with a career kickoff-return average of 26.7 yards. He also rushed nine times last year for 29 yards (3.2-yard average).

On guard

The Bears added some experienced depth to their offensive line when they signed four-year veteran guard Earl Watford, 27, to a one-year deal.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Watford was drafted in the fourth round by the Cardinals in 2013, and he played in 42 games with 22 starts, including 11 in 2016. He signed with the Jaguars last year as a free agent but was released before the start of the season. The Cardinals re-signed him in Week Four last year when their starting left guard, four-time Pro Bowler Mike Iupati, suffered a season-ending triceps injury, and Watford wound up starting nine games.

Watford could compete with veteran Eric Kush and last year's fifth-round pick Jordan Morgan for the starting LG spot, vacant since early March, when the Bears declined an $8-million option to retain Josh Sitton. Kush missed all of last season with a hamstring injury, while Morgan spent the season on injured reserve.

• Bob LeGere is a senior writer at Pro Football Weekly. Follow Bob's Bears reports on Twitter @BobLeGere or @PFWeekly.

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