Kevin Byard Patriots Bears News Bears Free Agency
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Former Bears All-Pro free safety Kevin Byard III.
The Chicago Bears are officially on track to say goodbye to top pending free agent and All-Pro safety Kevin Byard III when the 2026 league year begins amid the latest news from the NFL’s legal tampering period for free agency.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the New England Patriots have agreed to terms on a one-year, $9 million contract with Byard — the 2025 NFL interceptions leader (seven) — in a deal that will take away one of Chicago’s top defensive players.
Byard, 32, started every game for the Bears over the course of the two-year, $15 million contract that he signed in 2024 and was particularly outstanding in 2025, recording 93 tackles, four tackles for loss and eight pass breakups along with his league-leading pick total. He earned first-team All-Pro honors and his third Pro Bowl selection in 10 years.
Despite Byard’s All-Pro campaign, though, the Bears put writing on the wall that his time in Chicago was coming to an end when they agreed to terms on a three-year, $40 million contract with Seattle Seahawks standout free safety Coby Bryant on March 9.
“[The] Bears lose their interceptions and locker room leader ot the Patriots,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin wrote Wednesday on X. “GM Ryan Poles said this offseason that Byard was a player the team wanted to re-sign after 2 seasons. But after paying a premium for Coby Bryant, it appears Chicago wasn’t willing to keep spending at safety.
“So the Bears lose two starters from their secondary in Byard and CB Nahshon Wright.”