Grading the signing: Bears navigated the LB market in an ideal way with Devin Bush while adding exactly what Dennis Allen wanted
The Chicago Bears once again have retooled the linebacker room to fit the defensive scheme.
The Chicago Bears were decently active on the first day of the legal tampering period after agreeing to three deals with outside defensive additions while making some key re-signings at positions of need. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is surely a happy man on Tuesday.
General manager Ryan Poles promised he would add more speed to the defense and he did just that by bringing in DT Neville Gallimore, S Coby Bryant, and LB Devin Bush.
The addition of Bush is exciting and another example of the Chicago Bears retooling the linebacker room to fit the current defensive scheme, similar to how the Bears brought in Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards for Matt Eberflus. He’s an ideal fit and the Bears did a solid job assessing the market.
Bears got a decent price on Devin Bush and will be banking his breakout season being sustained
Bush was once the 10th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers and was heading toward bust territory before signing with the Cleveland Browns in 2024 under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. This past season was easily the best of Bush’s career after totaling 125 tackles, three interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, and seven tackles for a loss.
Bush took his playmaking abilities to another level in 2025 and his speed was evident on the tape, something the Bears were desperately missing from the position. This 97-yard pick-6 against the Cincinnati Bengals is a great example of that, which was definitely his best game of the season.
The Bears not only got better at linebacker, they got cheaper. Edmunds was due for $15 million in 2026 and instead the Bears signed his replacement for $10 million APY. The full details of his contract have yet to be announced but the 2026 cap hit figures to be a decent price. And based on the other off-ball linebackers signed on Monday, the Bears got great value for a 27-year-old player.
- Devin Lloyd: three-year, $45 million deal ($15 million APY)
- Quay Walker: three-year, $40.5 million ($13.5 million APY)
- Tremaine Edmunds: three-year, $36 million ($12 million APY)
- Nakobe Dean: three-year, $36 million ($12 million APY)
- Demario Davis: two-year, $22 million ($11 million APY)
- Devin Bush: three-year, $30 million ($10 million APY)
I think Bush can be a really good player for this defense and he brings a nice edge to his game that will fit right in with the rest of the locker room. The downside is that we’ve only seen him play at that kind of level in 2025 and it’s up to Allen to keep him at that level in Chicago.
Grade: B
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