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Former Colts linebacker Freeman signs with Chicago Bears

The Bears' newest addition to a defense under construction, inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman, has come a long way.

The former Indianapolis Colt on Saturday signed a three-year, $12 million contract that included $6 million guaranteed money. He can earn an additional $2 million in incentives.

Freeman, who turns 30 in May, had at least 112 tackles in each of his four seasons in Indianapolis, including 145 in 2012 and 144 in 2013. He has been the Colts' leading tackler or runner-up in each of his four seasons, while starting 57 games.

Freeman's route to the top may have been more difficult than any other NFL player. He was undrafted out of Division-III Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton, Texas), near his hometown of Waco, and signed with the Tennessee Titans.

But he was cut so he headed north to the Canadian Football League, where he spent three years with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. That was his springboard to the Colts.

He was used primarily on special teams in his first season with the Roughriders but has progressed to become one of the NFL's leading tacklers over the past four years.

Almost a decade later, he hasn't forgotten his roots and what a struggle his journey has been.

"That chip on my shoulder is never going to get knocked off," Freeman said. "It's always going to be there, and it's shaped the kind of player that I am, the aggressiveness, the recklessness, just out there running around. I can really appreciate where I've come from. A lot of people counted me out in a lot of different situations. So I definitely carry that chip."

The 6-foot, 240-pound Freeman has similarities to inside linebacker Danny Trevathan, who the Bears signed Wednesday to a four-year $24.5 million contract. They are expected to be the starters in 2016, replacing Shea McClellin and Christian Jones.

McClellin, who was third on the Bears last season with 96 tackles, met with the Jets on Friday. The former first-round draft pick could still return to the Bears for a fifth season, but that seems less likely with the addition of Trevathan and Freeman.

As to Freeman's role on his new team he said, "It's pretty much the same thing I was doing in Indy. Just being a three-down linebacker, of course. Being able to stay on the field, being able to cover. Just my understanding and being able to dissect plays. Just being a play-maker, doing what I've been doing. I guess that's plenty for them."

Like the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Trevathan, Freeman is somewhat undersized but considered to be excellent in coverage. He has 4 career interceptions, 2 of which he returned for touchdowns, and 16 pass breakups. He had 3 sacks to go with his 1 interception last year. In his debut with the Colts in 2012, Freeman intercepted a Jay Cutler pass and returned it 4 yards for a touchdown.

Despite attending a small-school that, like all D-III programs, doesn't give athletic scholarships, Freeman credits his college experience for some of his success.

"I think my greatest strength is knowing my job and understanding the defense," he said. "I'm a big studier. You (might not) know much about D-III guys, but we don't get athletic scholarships; we get academic ones."

The Bears also added to their defensive line and wide receiver depth on Saturday by re-signing two of their own unrestricted free agents, Mitch Unrein and Marc Mariani.

Unrein, who was fourth among last year's D-linemen with 32 tackles, agreed to a two-year deal. The 6-foot-4, 306-pounder emerged as a solid rotational contributor and wound up playing 378 snaps, fourth among Bears defensive linemen, even though he didn't join the team until Week Three.

Unrein, 28, also occasionally played on offense as a lead blocker in goalline situations. He played four years (2011-14) under Bears coach John Fox when both were with the Denver Broncos.

Mariani, 28, enjoyed the most productive season of his career with 22 receptions for 300 yards (13.6-yard average) after injuries to Alshon Jeffery, Eddie Royal and Marquess Wilson thinned the Bears' wideout ranks. Of Mariani's 22 catches, 19 resulted in first downs.

He also led the Bears with 29 punt returns for 192 yards (6.6-yard average). The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Mariani also returned 16 kickoffs for 418 yards (26.1-yard average) before losing the job to Deonte Thompson.

• Follow Bob's Bears reports on Twitter@BobLeGere.

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