NFL free agency is off and running, and we're keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2026 offseason, with analysis from our NFL nation reporters and grades from our experts.
The new league year began Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, which means free agents can now officially be signed. The first round of the 2026 NFL draft begins April 23 on ESPN.
The Chicago Bears moved quickly after the surprising retirement of Drew Dalman and sent a 2027 fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for center Garrett Bradbury.
Here's a breakdown of every 2026 NFL free agent signing by the Bears and how each will impact the upcoming season:
Coby Bryant, S
The former Seahawk agreed to a 3-year deal worth $40 million, per ESPN's Brady Henderson.
What it means: Safety is one of the biggest areas of focus for the Bears in free agency. With the status of multiyear starters Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker up in the air, Chicago went after Bryant, a Super Bowl champion who has the man coverage skills to be a chess piece in Dennis Allen's secondary.
Bryant started 15 regular-season games and recorded 66 tackles, four interceptions and a forced fumble. During Seattle's three playoff games, Bryant amassed 10 tackles. The Bears upgraded one of their safety spots during the first few hours of free agency. Now, they'll have to determine who they can afford to bring back between Byard and Brisker to play opposite Bryant.
Devin Bush, LB
The former Brown agreed to a 3-year deal worth $30 million, with $21 million guaranteed.
What it means: The Bears gained speed for the middle of their defense. Bush is one of the fastest linebackers in the NFL, evidenced by the 20.23 mph he clocked while returning a 97-yard pick-six in Week 18 last season.
Bush was the only player to have multiple pick-sixes in 2025 and ranked third among all linebackers with three interceptions. After a quiet few years following a knee injury in 2020, Bush re-emerged as one of the NFL's most efficient linebackers. He started all 17 games for the Browns and finished with 125 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles and eight passes defensed. The Bears entered the day thin at linebacker and have now solidified several spots by adding Bush and retaining D'Marco Jackson.
Neville Gallimore, DT
The former Colt agreetd to a 2-year deal worth $12 million, a source told Courtney Cronin.
What the signing means: Defensive tackle is a significant need in Chicago, and the Bears now have a new nose tackle to replace Andrew Billings, who will hit free agency.
Gallimore bounced back from an underwhelming season with the Rams in 2024 to record 3.5 sacks and 38 tackles in his lone season with the Colts in 2025. Though he's known primarily for his skills as a run defender, the Bears strengthened their defensive front with a 29-year-old veteran whose presence along the interior should aid the play of DTs Gervon Dexter Sr. and Shemar Turner. Notably, Gallimore is durable and missed only four games over his past four seasons.
Kalif Raymond, WR
The former Lion agree to a one-year deal.
What it means: Raymond is one of the NFL's most productive return specialists, having earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2022 and 2024 in Detroit. That's where he overlapped with Bears coach Ben Johnson and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El and carved out a nice role for himself as a depth piece at receiver.
With Olamide Zaccheaus going back to Atlanta, Raymond gives the Bears an intriguing WR3 option as well as a punt returner, the role he would assume from Devin Duvernay. In 2024, he led the league with 413 punt-return yards, averaging 13.8 yards per return and scoring a 90-yard punt-return touchdown.
Braxton Jones, LT
The Bears retained Jones on a 1 year, $10 million deal.
What it means: At this time last year, Jones was recovering from a broken ankle he suffered at the end of the 2024 season that put him behind in the competition at left tackle. While his experience secured him the job temporarily until he was replaced in Week 4, a fully healthy offseason could help Jones return to form.
With Ozzy Trapilo sidelined for most of the 2026 season while recovering from a knee injury, Jones is an option for the Bears to start at left tackle. He started 44 games at left tackle over four seasons after being drafted by the Bears in the fifth round in 2022. Bringing him back is a cost-effective move, but it doesn't necessarily upgrade the play at the position unless Chicago brings in another veteran or uses one of its top four picks in the top 89 of the draft order.
Case Keenum, QB
The Bears retained Keenum on a 2-year, $5.5 million deal with a max value of $8 million.
What it means: Keenum is an invaluable resource for Caleb Williams as a player-coach hybrid in the quarterback room. Though Keenum might not be ready to go into full time coaching just yet, the Bears retain their experienced veteran backup and keep the structure of their QB room in place -- for now.
Could this move signal a trade is on the horizon involving Tyson Bagent? The Bears began fielding calls for Bagent around the time of the combine and have even more incentive to move on now if the right offer comes in considering his $4 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed Sunday.
D'Marco Jackson, LB
The Bears retained Jackson on a 2-year, $7.5 million deal.
What it means: To move on from Tremaine Edmunds, who was released late last week, the Bears had to feel strongly about Jackson's ability to handle a bigger role long-term.
After filling in for Edmunds last season and earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice, Jackson is now in line to start opposite T.J. Edwards and become the new middle linebacker in Dennis Allen's defense.
Chicago is still thin at linebacker, so this re-signing solves only one spot for now. Edwards is recovering from a fractured fibula while Noah Sewell is out indefinitely with a torn Achilles, and the Bears still aren't sure what they have in former fourth-round pick Ruben Hyppolite II, who appeared in only seven games last year with most of his snaps coming on special teams.
Daniel Hardy, DE
The Bears retained Hardy on a 2-year, $5 million deal.
What it means: The Bears retain one of their top special teams players and offers depth at defensive end. After joining Chicago's practice squad in 2023, the 2022 seventh-round pick has appeared in all 34 games the past two seasons while logging 725 snaps on special teams.
Hardy played everywhere in 2025 -- linebacker, defensive end, even two snaps at fullback -- and provides the Bears with a versatile reserve up front. After being tied for the team lead with 11 special teams tackles in 2024, he earned the lead outright in 2025 with 19.
Jedrick Wills Jr., OT
The offensive tackle is signing a one-year deal.
What it means: Wills, a 2020 first-round pick, is another option at left tackle for the Bears. He'll have a chance to compete with Braxton Jones, who Chicago re-signed this week, and others currently on the team (like Theo Benedet) to start in place of Ozzy Trapilo for the 2026 season.
There's an injury history to be aware of after Wills tore an MCL in Week 9 of the 2023 season and only started four games in 2024 before sitting out last year to fully recover from injury. This is an inexpensive move that provides depth at the very least.
Kentavius Street, DT
What it means: The Bears identified a player that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen coached during Street's career-best season in 2022 with the Saints, when he generated 3.5 sacks. This signing is depth for Chicago's pass rush, which the team continues to prioritize building from the inside out during the early wave of free agency. Street has appeared in 85 games over seven seasons and has 10.5 career sacks. He'll have an opportunity to carve out a role for himself at three-technique behind Gervon Dexter, Shemar Turner and others.
Cam Lewis, CB
The former Bill signed a two-year deal.
What it means: Shortly after Nahshon Wright signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets, the Bears added another cornerback in Lewis. The six-year veteran has been primarily a reserve throughout his career with 10 starts over the last two seasons and has appeared in 76 games overall.
Lewis has taken snaps at nickel corner, outside corner and safety, so his versatility bodes well for a Bears secondary that is losing multiple starters and needs to replenish its depth.
James Lynch, DT
The former Titan signed a one-year deal.
What it means: More depth for the interior of the defensive line. Lynch, who has 98 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, and seven TFLs in 71 career games, is the third defensive tackle signed by the Bears in free agency. Along with Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street, Lynch factors into the rotation.
Jack Sanborn, LB
The former Cowboy signed a one-year deal.
What it means: Sanborn returns to Chicago after spending the 2025 season in Dallas and gives the Bears depth at linebacker. He has 24 starts in 54 games over four years and is an experienced option at strongside linebacker behind Devin Bush, T.J. Edwards and D'Marco Jackson.