Chicago Bears Depth Chart
- NFC North
- Stadium
- Soldier Field
- Head Coach
- Matt Eberflus
- Offensive Coordinator
- Shane Waldron
- Defensive Coordinator
- Eric Washington
- Special Teams Coach
- Richard Hightower
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
Before the Los Angeles Chargers traded wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears on Thursday evening in exchange for a fourth-round pick, the New York Jets and Houston Texans were interested in trading for him. After restructuring his contract last offseason, Allen declined to take a pay cut in 2024 and was traded to the Bears. Even though he missed the final four games in 2023 with a heel injury, Allen set the Chargers' single-season record for catches with 108 and also led the team with 1,243 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The six-time Pro Bowler is coming off his fifth season with 100 catches, which is tied for third-most in NFL history. The 31-year-old has one year left on his four-year, $80.1 million extension he signed in 2020. He said he and the Bears are approaching the prospect of a new deal "one day at a time," and his hope is to remain with Chicago on a long-term basis.
Veteran free-agent wide receiver Dante Pettis is signing a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears, according to Courtney Cronin of ESPN. The 2018 second-round pick last played in 2022 with Chicago, and he was released during last year's training camp with an injury settlement. Pettis has hauled in just 71 passes for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns through his first 50 regular season games. He's unlikely to be on the fantasy radar in 2024, especially since the Bears now have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.
The Los Angeles Chargers traded wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a fourth-round pick on Thursday. Allen played 11 seasons with the Chargers and logged six 1,000-yard campaigns during his career with the team. With a new coaching regime and salary cap issues, the Chargers decided to move on from its veteran star receiver. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Chargers approached Allen about a pay cut, which he declined. Los Angeles, in return, shipped him to Chicago. The 31-year-old will form a dynamic duo with DJ Moore and give the Bears another offensive weapon for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who the Bears are expected to select with the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, it's still uncertain who the Bears quarterback will be in Week 1 as incumbent Justin Fields remains on the roster. Allen caught 108 passes for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns over 13 games for the Chargers in 2023. The veteran wideout will compete with Moore for targets and become a borderline WR2 in fantasy in a new-look Bears offense.
Veteran free-agent quarterback Brett Rypien is signing a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears, according to Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. The 2019 undrafted free agent has thrown for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 10 career games with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. He spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets last year but did not appear in a game. The Bears are expected to select Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Justin Fields is rumored to be on the trade block. That said, Rypien has a path to the backup role in 2024. Based on his career so far, he is not anywhere close to the fantasy radar.
The Chicago Bears agreed to terms with free-agent defensive back Jonathan Owens on Tuesday on an undisclosed two-year deal, according to his agent. Owens had 84 tackles (58 solo) in his lone season in Green Bay in 17 games (11 starts) last year and also recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown. The 28-year-old spent the previous four seasons of his career with the Houston Texans from 2019-22 after they picked him up as an undrafted free agent from Missouri Western State. In his five NFL campaigns, Owens has a total of 227 tackles (152 solo), two sacks, one interception, eight passes defended, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) in 48 games (30 starts). He figures to be the Bears' third safety behind Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard.