The Chicago Bears continue to adjust their roster with less than 72 hours remaining before the NFL’s legal tampering period and free agency negotiations begin.
Over the past week, the team has worked to retain several pending free agents, signing two-year extensions with cornerback Josh Blackwell and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga while also tendering four exclusive rights free agents. On Saturday, they took another step in keeping a key restricted free agent.
According to Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald, the Bears are tendering defensive tackle Chris Williams at the right-of-first-refusal level. This means he will carry a $3.263 million cap hit in 2025 with no guaranteed money.
Other teams can submit an offer sheet for Williams, but the Bears will have the opportunity to match any deal. If they choose not to, they will receive no compensation.
Williams was acquired from the Cleveland Browns last summer, along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, in exchange for a 2025 sixth-rounder following the 53-man roster cutdown. He went on to establish himself in the interior defensive rotation, playing all 17 games and recording three sacks and seven quarterback hits.
If no team signs him away, Williams is expected to provide depth for the Bears’ defensive line in 2025. However, his role could shift depending on any additions made in free agency or the draft. Regardless, he will need to prove himself again under a new coaching staff, including veteran defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Williams will also face competition from returning depth players like Zacch Pickens, a 2023 third-round pick, and former Packers draft selection Jonathan Ford, who has been tendered as an exclusive rights free agent. If Williams fails to make an impression during training camp, the Bears can release him and clear his full $3.263 million salary from the books.
Be the first to comment