Bears reshape linebacker lineup with Edwards, Edmunds signings
A hometown hero is coming home, and there's a new Pro Bowl-level talent in Chicago.
One thing is clear at Halas Hall: The Bears are investing in their defense.
The organization reportedly agreed to contracts Monday with former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards, who grew up in the north suburbs, and with former Buffalo Bills two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
For Edmunds, it was a four-year, $72 million contract with at least $50 million guaranteed, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. For Edwards, it was a three-year, $19.5 million deal, with $12 million guaranteed. The two should be starting alongside each other for the next several years.
For a Bears defense that ranked near the bottom of the league, they are needed reinforcements. The NFL free agency negotiation period opened 11 a.m. Monday, but none of these deals can become official until 3 p.m. Wednesday at the earliest.
Edmunds is only 24 years old, and will be 25 when the season begins in September. The Bills made him the 16th overall draft pick in 2018. He played five seasons in Buffalo, starting 74 games. Last season, he totaled 102 combined tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 7 passes defended and 1 interception.
Edmunds fits the mold of what head coach Matt Eberflus is looking for in an off-ball linebacker: He's 6-foot-5 with 34.5-inch long arms. He has played for one of the best teams in football over the past five seasons and brings postseason experience with him.
Edwards, a Lake Villa native, spent the past four years with the Eagles after going undrafted out of Wisconsin in 2019. As a multisport athlete at Lakes Community High School, Edwards played quarterback for the Eagles under former coach Luke Mertens.
For the Badgers, he eventually emerged as a two-time first-team All-Big Ten linebacker and an AP first-team All-American in 2017. He started 52 games in four seasons at Wisconsin.
Edwards will join a Bears' defense where he will play alongside another undrafted linebacker out of Wisconsin: Jack Sanborn, who also grew up in the Chicago suburbs. Edwards, 26, finished tied for seventh in the NFL with 159 combined tackles in 2022. He also totaled 2 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 7 passes defended and 1 fumble recovery.
The Bears and Edwards agreed to their deal within 20 minutes of the negotiating period opening, indicating it was a no-brainer for both sides. Edwards wanted to come home, and he appeared to be a priority for Bears GM Ryan Poles and his front office. Assistant general manager Ian Cunningham previously worked for the Eagles prior to joining the Bears in 2022, and has a familiarity with Edwards.
The two linebackers fill a glaring hole for the Bears created when Poles traded away linebacker Roquan Smith. Last year's dramatic contract dispute between Poles and Smith resulted in hurt feelings and the 25-year-old linebacker being dealt to Baltimore at the November trade deadline.
From a team-building perspective, Poles and Eberflus have now found themselves two talented inside linebackers who together will cost about $24.5 million per season, rather than giving one player $20 million per year, as Smith was seeking. They also received a second-round draft pick in exchange for Smith.
The Bears began the day with $75 million in available salary cap space and probably aren't done adding players.