Bears Free Agent Profile: Kevin Byard III is shaping out to be the easiest decision for Chicago to make
The mutual interest is there to bring All-Pro safety Kevin Byard back to Chicago.
The NFL free agency window is getting closer and closer and the Chicago Bears are set to be an exciting team to watch when the madness begins. Before it gets to that point, the Bears have to first weigh the pros and cons of re-signing the 22 players set to become unrestricted free agents.
Not every player will be able to return and some are expected to be out of the Bears’ price range entirely. Over the next few days, we’ll break down some of the top pending free agents and decide whether or not the Bears should bring them back. And we’ll start with the easiest decision.
Kevin Byard III
Position: Safety
Age for 2026 Season: 33
Incoming NFL year: 11
Previous AAV: $7.5 million
2026 Snap %: 100%
Kevin Byard originally signed with the Bears back in 2024 on a two-year, $15 million deal. After parting ways with Eddie Jackson, the Bears needed a new general in the secondary that can be a ranging ball-hawk and the Bears ended up bringing the best player to fit that role. The hidden impact was the leadership Byard brought to the building and the mentor he became for his younger teammates.
He was more than a veteran leader. Byard turned back the clock in Chicago and continued to showcase an elite level of play that peaked during the 2025-26 season when Byard led the NFL with seven interceptions while being named as a first-team All Pro for the third time in his career.
Even with a new defensive scheme under Dennis Allen, Byard continued to elevate his game in his 10th career NFL season. Head coach Ben Johnson has also shown to value high leadership traits in his locker room with Byard being one of the top leaders on the team as a back-to-back team captain.
Contract History and Projection
Given his age, Byard isn’t expected to command a strong market despite the strong season he’s coming off of, which bodes well for the Bears chances of re-signing him. The closest contract comparison for Byard’s unique case given his age and quality of play would be a fellow NFC North standout safety in Harrison Smith.
In 2024, Smith reworked his contract with the Minnesota Vikings that essentially came out to be a two-year, $10,250,000 extension at the age of 35 but it’s worth noting Smith hadn’t been a Pro Bowl selection since 2021. With Byard being a tad younger with a higher quality of play, it’s likely we see Byard’s average per year get closer to the $7.5+ million range, which lines up with Spotrac’s projection.
Prediction
Byard has made his intentions clear that he would like to return to Chicago to finish out the rest of his career and the Bears have stated how important he is to what this team is building. Money shouldn’t be too much of an issue to hold up this decision.
My question is whether or not the Bears sign Byard to a one-year deal and continue playing things out year-by-year or just sign him to one last multi-year deal. The ideal solution is offering Byard a two-year deal close to $8 million per year with guarantees that Byard has earned.
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