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  "path": "/bears/2026/03/09/bears-free-agency-defense-coby-bryant-devin-bush-neville-gallimore-ryan-poles-ben-johnson-focus-speed-versatility-nfl",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-10T00:47:26.932Z",
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  "textContent": "<p>With holes to fill and modest money to spend, the <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" target=\"_blank\" >Bears</a> spent the first wave of free agency Monday rebuilding their defense the way coordinator Dennis Allen wants it. With a focus on speed and versatility, the <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/08/bears-transaction-tracker-2026-offseason-free-agency-coming-going-ryan-poles-ben-johnson\" target=\"_blank\" >Bears</a> added two starters and a rotation player — but could only watch as the price for premier pass-rushers skyrocketed.</p><p>Until the Bears can land an edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat — and they look unlikely to do so in the first tier of free agency, barring an overpay to Trey Hendrickson — it will be impossible to know just how good Allen’s defense can be. The other two levels on the field began to look a lot more like his once-vaunted Saints defenses after Monday, though.</p><p>Bears general manager Ryan Poles and coach Ben Johnson agreed to sign former Seahawks <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/bears-sign-seahawks-coby-bryant-safety-nfl\" >safety Coby Bryant, </a>a reigning Super Bowl champion, to a three-year deal worth $40 million. Like C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who has made stops on two different Allen teams, Bryant is a converted slot cornerback who provides the versatility Allen craves. He likes to mix and match cornerbacks and safeties on passing downs — and would have done it a lot more last season, were the Bears’ defensive backs healthier.</p><p>About an hour later, the Bears agreed to sign former Browns linebacker — and former Steelers’ first-round pick — <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/bears-to-sign-playmaking-veteran-devin-bush-jr-as-they-rebuild-linebacker-corps-source\" >Devin Bush Jr.,</a> to a three-year, $30 million deal. The former No. 10 ovearll pick provides the speed Allen wants at the position — he ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.</p><div class=\"RelatedList Enhancement\" data-module data-align-center> <div class=\"RelatedList-title\">Related</div> <ul class=\"RelatedList-items\"> <li class=\"RelatedList-items-item\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/08/bears-transaction-tracker-2026-offseason-free-agency-coming-going-ryan-poles-ben-johnson\" >Bears transaction tracker: Who’s coming, going this offseason</a> </li> </ul> </div> <p>That’s a full second faster than Tremaine Edmunds, who used his size — at 6-foot-4, he’s five inches taller than Bush — to create mismatches in three seasons with the Bears. Poles decided to cut Edmunds on Thursday night and the linebacker <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/former-bears-linebacker-tremaine-edmunds-gets-3-year-36-million-deal-from-giants-report\" >landed on his feet quickly,</a> agreeing to a three-year, $36 million deal to join the Giants on Monday.</p><p>\"I just want to continue to improve our defensive speed,” Poles said at the NFL Scouting Combine, pointing out games down the stretch when the Bears weren’t fast enough.</p><p>D’Marco Jackson, who won NFC Defensive Player of the Week while substituting for Edmunds in Week 15, re-signed with the Bears on a two-year, $7.5 million contract. A waiver claim from the Saints at the end of training camp last year, Jackson has now played for Allen in both New Orleans and Chicago.</p><p>The Bears entered Monday with only two defensive tackles signed for 2026: Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter. They added to that number in the first hour of free agency, albeit with a modest move — they signed the Colts’ <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/bears-first-move-in-free-agency-is-deal-with-dt-neville-gallimore-source\" >Neville Gallimore</a> to a two-year, $12 million contract. A Canadian whom the Cowboys drafted in the third round six years ago, Gallimore profiles as a rotational player. He’s started just 26 times in six years.</p><p>Gallimore had a career-high 3½ sacks last year. The Bears remain on patrol for pass-rush help, though, both from the end and tackle positions. They lost one of the former Monday when Dominique Robinson agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Texans.</p><p>Finding an edge rusher requires cap space the Bears might not be able to commit, though. The Panthers agreed to sign Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to a whopping four-year, $120 million deal Monday, the largest contract of the day. Chargers edge rusher Odafe Oweh got $100 million over four years, the third-largest. Two other edge rushers — Boye Mafe and Kwity Paye — agreed to a larger contract than the one the Bears gave Bryant, their largest Monday splurge. </p><p>The Bears could pivot toward the draft, where they hold three of the top 60 picks. Starter-quality defensive ends and tackles are expected to be available.</p><p>Whether signing Bryant ices out Kevin Byard, a team captain last year and one of the most respected players in the Bears’ locker room, remains to be seen. Their skillsets could blend together, particularly given Allen’s penchant for juggling defensive backs, but it’s rare that a team pays serious money to both starting safeties. Byard led the NFL with seven interceptions last year, prompting talk of a reunion from both sides over the past two months. They had months to strike a deal and did not.</p><p>Bryant doesn’t turn 27 until next month. Bush turns 28 in July and Gallimore turned 29 in January. The Bears hope all three can help buoy a run defense that was one of the league’s worst last year — only five teams gave up more rushing yards during the regular season. Pro Football Focus ranked Bush as the 10th-best run-defending linebacker in the NFL last year, while Bryant ranked 41<sup>st</sup> out of 122 safeties.</p><p>Time will tell whether they fit in on the field. At the least, Bryant’s new teammates won’t have a hard time remembering his name. He’s named after the former Lakers star and wore No. 8 in his honor with the Seahawks. That will play well in the locker room, where Bears offensive skill position players celebrate first downs by putting their thumbs and forefingers together the way the Lakers wing did when he wanted to isolate a defender.</p><p></p><p></p><bsp-list-loadmore class=\"PageListH\" data-module data-hide-authors=\"true\" data-hide-categories=\"true\" data-hide-dates=\"true\" data-show-loadmore=\"true\" ><a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"list-bc0001\" name=\"list-bc0001\"></a><div class=\"PageList-header\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title-wrap\" > <div class=\"PageList-header-title\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" target=\"{borderColor=#dfdfdf, pagination=[{body=[Next Page], href=?p=2, _template=/link/Link.hbs, contentId=null, pianoSectionSlug=null, target=null}], pageNumber=1, pullQuoteIcon=[{image=null, narrowImage=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=null}], inverseColors=false, count=20527, footerBgColor=#000000, bodyFont=font-3, showListNumbers=false, imagePositionHorizontal=null, rteBodyFont=font-3, headerBottomBorderColor=#111010, titleUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears, subTitle=null, stickyHeader=true, listTitleColor=#000000, tableCellBorderColor=#ccd1d5, items=[{type=Image, media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/58/55/c8f9a26740e586b6c7f05bbe3745/bears-092225-40.jpg, width=3000, height=2000}, alt=BEARS-092225-40.jpg, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/58/55/c8f9a26740e586b6c7f05bbe3745/bears-092225-40.jpg, width=3000, height=2000}}], _styledTemplate=null, imageAlignment=null, isFeatured=false, publishDate=March 09, 2026 06:13 PM, wordCount=206, title=Bears bringing back LT Braxton Jones, target=null, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/bears-braxton-jones-bring-back-free-agency-left-tackle-ben-johnson-ryan-poles-nfl, primaryMediaType=null, category=[{items=[Bears]}], categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears, ampLink=null, description=[{items=[He started 44 games in four years.]}], audio=[], authors=[{bio=[{items=[Patrick Finley covers the Bears and the NFL for the Sun-Times after previous stops in Arizona, Florida and California.]}], authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley, jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Bears reporter]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, name=[{items=[Patrick Finley]}], media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=patrick-finley-0.jpg, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}}]}], timestamp=1773098003000, audioDuration=null, anchorId=promo-6a0000, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs}, {type=Image, category=[{items=[Bears]}], title=Bears transaction tracker: Who's coming, going this offseason, wordCount=929, _styledTemplate=null, imageAlignment=null, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/08/bears-transaction-tracker-2026-offseason-free-agency-coming-going-ryan-poles-ben-johnson, isFeatured=false, authors=[{authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley, media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=patrick-finley-0.jpg, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/a8/3e/6853c67f16af2c0c2ea207670528/patrick-finley-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, bio=[{items=[Patrick Finley covers the Bears and the NFL for the Sun-Times after previous stops in Arizona, Florida and California.]}], name=[{items=[Patrick Finley]}], jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Bears reporter]}]}, {jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Bears reporter]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, bio=[{items=[Jason Lieser covers the Chicago Bears for the Chicago Sun-Times.]}], _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser, name=[{items=[Jason Lieser]}], media=[{image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/db/45/4fa7d0e60b81cf16ace05e7c41e9/f5kj4hj-400x400-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/db/45/4fa7d0e60b81cf16ace05e7c41e9/f5kj4hj-400x400-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=Headshot of Chicago Bears reporter Jason Lieser}]}], description=[{items=[The NFL’s league year begins Wednesday, though players can start agreeing to deals Monday.]}], target=null, media=[{ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/96/e8/02c2eb0f4bcb8e2ea6d4fda45037/aptopix-rams-bears-football.jpg, width=5163, height=3442}, alt=APTOPIX Rams Bears Football, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/96/e8/02c2eb0f4bcb8e2ea6d4fda45037/aptopix-rams-bears-football.jpg, width=5163, height=3442}}], primaryMediaType=null, timestamp=1773090720000, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears, ampLink=null, audio=[], audioDuration=null, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs, publishDate=March 09, 2026 04:12 PM, anchorId=promo-6a0001}, {type=Image, title=NFL finalizes compensatory draft picks: Bears get none for Falcons hiring Ian Cunningham, authors=[{media=[{image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/db/45/4fa7d0e60b81cf16ace05e7c41e9/f5kj4hj-400x400-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/db/45/4fa7d0e60b81cf16ace05e7c41e9/f5kj4hj-400x400-0.jpg, width=512, height=512}, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, alt=Headshot of Chicago Bears reporter Jason Lieser}], jobTitle=[{items=[Chicago Bears reporter]}], ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/author/byline/AuthorByline.hbs, authorPageUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser, bio=[{items=[Jason Lieser covers the Chicago Bears for the Chicago Sun-Times.]}], name=[{items=[Jason Lieser]}]}], publishDate=March 09, 2026 03:42 PM, _styledTemplate=null, wordCount=226, imageAlignment=null, isFeatured=false, description=[{items=[The Bears and Falcons advocated for the Bears to receive a 2026 and 2027 third-round pick after Cunningham left for Atlanta.]}], target=null, primaryMediaType=null, categoryUrl=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears, ampLink=null, url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/nfl-finalizes-compensatory-draft-picks-bears-get-none-for-falcons-hiring-ian-cunningham, category=[{items=[Bears]}], media=[{image={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/5e/99/b6e6e4664467b7b6ea3b0da3de00/cunningham-1.jpg, width=3000, height=2000}, alt=BEARS-092225-5.jpg, ampLink=null, _styledTemplate=null, _template=/image/Image.hbs, narrowImage={src=https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/5e/99/b6e6e4664467b7b6ea3b0da3de00/cunningham-1.jpg, width=3000, height=2000}}], audio=[], audioDuration=null, timestamp=1773088973000, _template=/page/promo/PagePromo.hbs, anchorId=promo-6a0002}], relatedListFont=font-1, hideAuthors=true, tertiaryTextColor=#6c6c6c, buttonHoverTextColor=#ffffff, tableFont=font-1, carouselAutoPlay=false, promoTitleFont=font-2, _styledTemplate=/page/list/PageListH.hbs, ctaButtonText=[], primaryTextColor=#2a2a2a, buttonTextColor=#ffffff, linkTextColor=#1a1a1a, hideTitles=false, footerLinkColor=#ffffff, carouselSpeed=null, buttonHoverBgColor=#a91d23, rteHeadingFont=font-1, secondaryColor=#656565, hideCategories=true, _template=/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs, font3=Arial, font4=Source-serif-4, ctaUrl=null, hideImage=false, suppressPagination=true, footerLinkHoverColor=#d3242c, hideAudioPlayback=false, description=[], showSecondItemMedia=false, listColumns234=null, footerTextColor=#ffffff, title=Latest on the Bears, headerSecondaryBgColor=#000000, primaryTextColorInverse=#ffffff, titleColor=null, ampLink=null, listHeaderPosition=null, hideDescriptions=false, showActionBar=true, pageCount=6843, linkHoverColor=#d3242c, buttonBgColor=#d3242c, ctaTarget=null, anchorId=list-bc0001, promoButtonText=null, backgroundColor=null, headerSecondaryTextColor=#ffffff, listTitleFont=font-2, headlineFont=font-1, promoDescriptionFont=font-3, primaryColor=#d3242c, slimFooter=false, hideHeadline=false, hideDates=true, headerBorderColor=#e9e9e9, ratingCardFont=font-1, titleTarget=null, tableCaptionColor=#626262, mobileCarousel=false, tableEvenRowsBgColor=#f9f8f3, containerTitleFont=font-2, listBorderColor=#dfdfdf, defaultArticleLeadStyle=standard, _parentFiles=[/page/list/includes/PageList-header.hbs]}\">Latest on the Bears</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListH-items\" data-with-borders data-list-loadmore-items> <div class=\"PageListH-items-item\"><div class=\"PagePromoB\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"Bears bringing back LT Braxton Jones\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/bears-braxton-jones-bring-back-free-agency-left-tackle-ben-johnson-ryan-poles-nfl\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7503cef/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+0+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F58%2F55%2Fc8f9a26740e586b6c7f05bbe3745%2Fbears-092225-40.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/41a22f2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F58%2F55%2Fc8f9a26740e586b6c7f05bbe3745%2Fbears-092225-40.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"BEARS-092225-40.jpg\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/41a22f2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F58%2F55%2Fc8f9a26740e586b6c7f05bbe3745%2Fbears-092225-40.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" >Bears</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/bears-braxton-jones-bring-back-free-agency-left-tackle-ben-johnson-ryan-poles-nfl\" >Bears bringing back LT Braxton Jones</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">He started 44 games in four years.</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1773098003000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley\" >Patrick Finley </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"206\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListH-items-item\"><div class=\"PagePromoB\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"Bears transaction tracker: Who's coming, going this offseason\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/08/bears-transaction-tracker-2026-offseason-free-agency-coming-going-ryan-poles-ben-johnson\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f049352/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5142x3442+0+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F96%2Fe8%2F02c2eb0f4bcb8e2ea6d4fda45037%2Faptopix-rams-bears-football.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8296bd7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5142x3442+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F96%2Fe8%2F02c2eb0f4bcb8e2ea6d4fda45037%2Faptopix-rams-bears-football.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"APTOPIX Rams Bears Football\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8296bd7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5142x3442+0+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F96%2Fe8%2F02c2eb0f4bcb8e2ea6d4fda45037%2Faptopix-rams-bears-football.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" >Bears</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/08/bears-transaction-tracker-2026-offseason-free-agency-coming-going-ryan-poles-ben-johnson\" >Bears transaction tracker: Who's coming, going this offseason</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">The NFL’s league year begins Wednesday, though players can start agreeing to deals Monday.</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1773090720000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/patrick-finley\" >Patrick Finley </a></strong>  and  <strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser\" >Jason Lieser </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"929\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageListH-items-item\"><div class=\"PagePromoB\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-media\"><a class=\"Link\" aria-label=\"NFL finalizes compensatory draft picks: Bears get none for Falcons hiring Ian Cunningham\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/nfl-finalizes-compensatory-draft-picks-bears-get-none-for-falcons-hiring-ian-cunningham\" ><picture data-crop=\"medium-4x3\"> <source type=\"image/webp\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f33c0de/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+12+0/resize/490x328!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5e%2F99%2Fb6e6e4664467b7b6ea3b0da3de00%2Fcunningham-1.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <source width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-srcset=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d63f85e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+12+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5e%2F99%2Fb6e6e4664467b7b6ea3b0da3de00%2Fcunningham-1.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" srcset=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" /> <img class=\"Image\" alt=\"BEARS-092225-5.jpg\" width=\"490\" height=\"328\" data-src=\"https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d63f85e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2988x2000+12+0/resize/490x328!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5e%2F99%2Fb6e6e4664467b7b6ea3b0da3de00%2Fcunningham-1.jpg\" data-lazy-load=\"true\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIzMjhweCIgd2lkdGg9IjQ5MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=\" > </picture> </a></div> <div class=\"PagePromoB-content\"> <div class=\"PagePromo-category\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears\" >Bears</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-title\"> <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2026/03/09/nfl-finalizes-compensatory-draft-picks-bears-get-none-for-falcons-hiring-ian-cunningham\" >NFL finalizes compensatory draft picks: Bears get none for Falcons hiring Ian Cunningham</a> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-description\">The Bears and Falcons advocated for the Bears to receive a 2026 and 2027 third-round pick after Cunningham left for Atlanta.</div> <div class=\"PagePromo-byline\"><div class=\"PagePromo-date\"> <bsp-timestamp data-timestamp=1773088973000 data-promo=\"true\"> <template data-date-tpl>[month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]</template> <span data-date> </span> </bsp-timestamp><span class=\"dot\"></span></div> <div class=\"PagePromo-author\"> <span>By </span><strong><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/jason-lieser\" >Jason Lieser </a></strong> </div> <div class=\"PagePromo-readingTime\"> <span class=\"dot-divider\"></span> <svg class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-icon\"> <use xlink:href=\"#icon-clock-reading\"></use> </svg> <span class=\"PagePromo-readingTime-text\"> <bsp-time-to-read data-article-word-count=\"226\"></bsp-time-to-read> read </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class=\"PageList-footer\"> </div> </bsp-list-loadmore><p></p>",
  "title": "On free agency's first day, Bears rework defense with focus on speed, versatility",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-10T01:06:24.377Z"
}