The Chicago Bears are fortunate to have a roster riddled with promising players as they enter the Ben Johnson era. From quarterback Caleb Williams to cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, and more standout names in between, it's abundantly clear the Bears have some of the NFL's best young talent on both sides of the ball.
Having said that, teams can't solely rely on up-and-coming talent, highlighting the need for experienced names, too. Fortunately, the Bears also boast various veterans who help balance their younger counterparts, including one defender who just revealed he wants to end his career in the Windy City.
Bears S Kevin Byard Wants to Stay in Chicago Beyond 2025 Season
Veteran safety Kevin Byard III, 31, is entering the final season of the two-year, $15 million contract he signed with the Bears last offseason. Even though a second contract is far from guaranteed, that isn't stopping the two-time Pro Bowl defender from making it clear he wants to stick around in Chicago for a little while longer.
"I put everything, my heart, and my soul into this year, to this team, to this group of guys, and then we revisit those things in the offseason," Byard said last week, per NFL.com's Coral Smith. "I would love to be here long term, to finish my career with the Chicago Bears. That's all I'm focused on right now."
It isn't hard to blame Byard for wanting to stay in Chicago following a productive 2024 campaign.
Despite it being his ninth season in the league, the former 2016 third-rounder tallied a personal-best 130 total tackles while matching his previous career-high of 80 solo efforts. He also tallied seven broken-up passes, two sacks, one forced fumble, and an interception en route to the 22nd-best defense grade (72.8) among eligible safeties on Pro Football Focus.
As with any aging player, though, Byard knows that his next contract—whether with the Bears or elsewhere—likely won't be of the multi-year variety.
"This thing is year-to-year and honestly, it's probably going to be year-to-year for the rest of my career until I'm done playing," the Bears safety said. "Regardless of whatever kind of contract I signed, this is always going to be year-to-year."
The Bears owned one of the better defenses in the NFL last season, and they have a great shot at maintaining that reputation as long as Byard and the rest of Chicago's defenders do their part. If successful and the unit remains among the league's best, there's a good chance the 2025 season won't be the two-time All-Pro safety's last with the Bears.
More Chicago Bears News & Rumors: