The Chicago Bears have signed former Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard to a two-year, $15 million contract. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports..
Mr. Byard confirmed the move on social media shortly after the report.
The Eagles released Byard on March 1, making him eligible to sign before the official start of free agency on Wednesday.
Byard, 30, has played eight seasons in the NFL since being drafted by the Titans in the third round of the 2016 draft. He played over seven seasons with the Titans, earning All-Pro honors after the 2017 and 2021 seasons. The Titans traded Byard to the Eagles in October, before Week 8, in the midst of a stock market decline last season. Byard appeared in 10 games for the Eagles before being released to cut costs. The deal saved the Eagles $13 million in cap space for next season.
Byard had 122 tackles, three passes defensed and one interception for the Eagles and Titans last season. He recorded 75 of those tackles in 10 games against Philadelphia, but the Eagles' defense slumped late and they lost 32-9 in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Byard plans to be the starter in Chicago and provide an upgrade in the secondary, as the Bears look to use more than $60 million in cap space to start making moves on both sides of the ball. Chicago needed a safety after releasing veteran Eddie Jackson.
