Jones is signing a one-year contract with the Bears, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Jones entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022 and has played all four of his pro campaigns with Chicago, though he was briefly on Arizona's roster last offseason. The Ole Miss product has played more snaps on special teams than on defense each of the past three years and figures to continue working as a depth cornerback in 2026.
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Colts' Jonathan Owens: Signs with Indy
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The Colts signed Owens to a one-year contract Friday, James Boyd of The Athletic reports.
Owens appeared in all 17 regular-season games for the Bears last season but played a total of just 47 defensive snaps and 264 snaps on special teams. Look for Owens to fill a similar role in Indianapolis.
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Steelers' Jaquan Brisker: Moving to Pittsburgh
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Brisker agreed to a deal with the Steelers on Thursday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
The safety started all 17 regular-season games and both playoff games for the Bears in 2025, finishing the regular season with 93 tackles (52 solo) and eight pass breakups. It was a nice return season for Brisker after missing most of the 2024 campaign with concussion-related issues. The 2022 second-round pick could play a similar role for Pittsburgh as he did for Chicago last year.
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Bills' C.J. Gardner-Johnson: Links up with Buffalo
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Gardner-Johnson and the Bills agreed to terms on a one-year contract Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Gardner-Johnson opened the 2025 season with the Texans after being traded by the Eagles in March of last year. He appeared in only three games for Houston before being released in late September, which led to the 2019 fourth-rounder signing with the Bears in late October. Gardner-Johnson played a key role in the Bears' secondary and finished the regular season with 51 tackles (35 solo), including 3.0 sacks, four pass defenses (two interceptions) and one forced fumble across 10 games with Chicago. He'll now head to Buffalo, where he's projected to start at safety alongside 2024 second-rounder Cole Bishop.
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Bears' Elijah Hicks: Back with Chicago
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Hicks and the Bears agreed to terms on a one-year deal Thursday.
The 2022 seventh-round pick from California is now slated to remain in Chicago after spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the team. Hicks appeared in 17 regular-season games in 2025, recording 19 total tackles across 371 total snaps (309 on special teams, 62 on defense). He's expected to remain one of the Bears' top special-teamers during the 2026 campaign.
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Patriots' Kevin Byard: Safety help for New England
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The Patriots have agreed to a one-year deal with Byard, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Byard is set to make $9 million in 2026 as he moves on to help a Patriots defense fresh off the Super Bowl LX loss. The former Bears safety ended 2025 with 93 tackles (61 solo) and eight passes defensed for seven interceptions over 17 regular-season games. The ball hawk will help offset free agency losses for a Patriots defense that is looking to maintain control of the AFC East and string together deep playoff runs.
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Jets' Nahshon Wright: Signs with New York
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Wright is slated to sign a one-year contract with the Jets, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Wright lands a one-year, $5.5 million max deal after a breakout season with the Bears. The 2021 third-round pick of the Cowboys finally got a chance to start in 2025, finishing the season with 80 tackles and11 passes defensed, including five interceptions. The cornerback also forced two fumbles and recovered three, a skill the Jets' defense sorely desires after finishing at the bottom of the league in turnovers forced in 2025 (four). If Wright performs consistently with his new team, he will likely be looking at a substantially larger contract after the 2026 season.
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Texans' Dominique Robinson: Inking one-year deal with Houston
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Robinson agreed to terms Monday on a one-year contract with the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Robinson spent the last four seasons handling a depth role at defensive end for Chicago, and he'll now settle into a similar gig within Houston's vaunted pass rush corps. Since entering the NFL, the 2022 fifth-round pick has compiled a total of 3.5 sacks.
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Giants' Tremaine Edmunds: Agrees to three-year deal with NYG
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Edmunds agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract with the Giants on Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Edmunds was released by the Bears last Thursday but didn't take long to find a new destination, though his deal with Big Blue can't be finalized until the new league year begins Wednesday. After exceeding 100 tackles in each of his first eight NFL regular seasons, Edmunds is expected to occupy a starting role at linebacker for the Giants.
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Bears' D'Marco Jackson: Re-signs with Bears for two years
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Jackson re-signed with the Bears on a two-year, $7.5 million contract Monday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.
Jackson can earn up to $10.5 million on his new contract with incentives. He made the first four starts of his three-year NFL career during the 2025 regular season while appearing in 16 games. The 27-year-old linebacker spent the preceding two seasons with the Saints.
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Bears' Daniel Hardy: Inks new deal with Chicago
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The Bears re-signed Hardy to a two-year, $6 million contract Sunday, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
Hardy was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this week but now will stick in Chicago through the 2027 campaign. The 27-year-old appeared in all 17 regular-season games last season, logging 22 tackles (seven solo) as a core special teams player for Chicago.
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Tremaine Edmunds: Cut by Chicago
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Edmunds was released by the Bears on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Edmunds was granted permission to seek a trade by the Bears on Feb. 25, but after no deal materialized, he will now hit the open market. The transaction will free up an additional $15 million in cap space for Chicago ahead of free agency, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. The linebacker is coming off of a 2025 season in which he registered 112 total tackles (61 solo), including 1.0 sacks, while also adding nine passes defensed, four of which were interceptions, and a fumble recovery over 13 regular-season contests. Edmunds has never finished with fewer than 102 total tackles in any of his eight professional seasons with the Bills and Bears, and he'll likely garner plenty of attention as a free agent.
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Bears' Tremaine Edmunds: Gets permission to seek trade
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Edmunds has been granted permission to seek a trade by the Bears, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Edmunds was limited to 13 regular-season appearances with Chicago in 2025, but in that span he managed to record 112 tackles (61 solo), including 1.0 sacks, in addition to nine passes defensed, including four interceptions, and one fumble recovery -- extending his 100-tackle streak to eight seasons. Though the soon-to-be 28-year-old linebacker remains under contract through 2026, the Bears have a potential 'out' this offseason for only $2.4 million in dead cap, compared to the $17.4 million cap hit Edmunds will carry if under contract. As such, if no trade partner can be found, Chicago may end up releasing Edmunds. Regardless of where he plays in 2026, Edmunds figures to retain a starting role and high-end IDP value due to his tackle volume.
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Amen Ogbongbemiga: Cut by Chicago
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The Bears released Ogbongbemiga on Thursday.
Ogbongbemiga will hit free agency after having suited up for eight regular-season contests with Chicago in 2025, in which span he totaled 18 tackles (five solo) and one pass defensed. He also played 134 snaps on special teams. Ogbongbemiga figures to compete for a similar reserve role elsewhere in the league this offseason.
Gordon recorded seven total tackles (five solo), including 1.0 sacks, across three regular-season games in 2025.
Despite missing 14 regular-season games this season due to hamstring, groin and calf injuries, Gordon returned for the Bears' two playoff games and made an immediate impact. He tallied 10 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, and two passes defensed, helping Chicago reach the divisional round for the first time since 2010. Having signed a three-year, $40 million extension with the Bears last April, Gordon is expected to remain the team's top slot corner during the 2026 campaign.
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Bears' Grady Jarrett: Solid campaign in Chicago
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Jarrett tallied 39 total tackles (14 solo), including 1.5 sacks, and three passes defensed across 14 regular-season games in 2025.
Despite recording fewer total tackles (53 to 39) and sacks (2.5 to 1.5) than he did with the Falcons in 2024, Jarrett was an integral part of Chicago's defensive line. After a slow start, he finished the season strong, recording 23 total tackles, including 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed and one forced fumble over the Bears' final six games (including playoffs). Having signed a three-year, $42.75 million deal with Chicago last offseason, Jarrett is expected to remain one of the team's top interior defensive linemen during the 2026 season.
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Bears' Nick McCloud: Impresses in reserve role
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McCloud (groin) recorded 27 total tackles (18 solo) and two passes defensed over 15 regular-season games in 2025.
The 27-year-old from Notre Dame sustained a groin injury in Chicago's wild-card win over the Packers that held him out of the divisional-round loss to the Rams. McCloud emerged as one of the Bears' top reserve corners, making four starts while filling in for the injured Kyler Gordon during the regular season. McCloud played 431 defensive snaps this season after totaling just 214 defensive snaps across 15 appearances with the Giants and 49ers in 2024. He signed a one-year deal with the Bears in March of last year, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason. McCloud is expected to find work as a reserve corner and special-teams contributor ahead of the 2026 season.
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Bears' D'Marco Jackson: Career year in 2025
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Jackson tallied 43 total tackles (18 solo), including 1.0 sack, and three passes defensed, including one interception, across 16 regular-season games in 2025.
Prior to his 2025 campaign with the Bears, Jackson was primarily a special-teamer, recording just 26 total tackles across 27 regular-season games with the Saints from 2023 to 2024. While he remained a key special-teams contributor in Chicago (273 special-teams snaps), the 27-year-old started the first four games of his career and logged a personal-best 259 defensive snaps. Set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason, Jackson likely will find work as a reserve outside linebacker while continuing to contribute on special teams.
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Bears' Tyrique Stevenson: Production dips in 2025
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Stevenson recorded 49 total tackles (36 solo), 10 passes defensed, including one interception, and two forced fumbles over 13 regular-season games in 2025.
The third-year pro from Miami (Fla.) saw declines in several statistical categories compared to his 2024 campaign, including total tackles (78 to 49), passes defensed (12 to 10) and interceptions (two to one) while playing fewer defensive snaps (786 to 584). Despite this drop in production, Stevenson remained an important part of the Bears secondary, finishing with the second-most passes defensed on the team. Under contract through the 2026 season, the 25-year-old is expected to remain a key part of Chicago's defense next year.
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Bears' C.J. Gardner-Johnson: Productive after slow start in 2025
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Gardner-Johnson totaled 66 tackles (46 solo), including 3.0 sacks, two interceptions and four passes defended across 13 regular-season games during the 2025 campaign.
Gardner-Johnson started the season with the Texans but was released after struggling across the first three games. The 28-year-old ended up signing with Chicago in late October, where he was much more productive, racking up a career-high 3.0 sacks across just 10 outings. Gardner-Johnson is set to become a free agent this offseason and could join his fifth team in the past four seasons.
