The first free agent domino for the Bears is leaning in a positive direction with a resolution coming sooner than later
Kevin Byard III is leaning toward sticking with the Chicago Bears based on latest report.
The clock is ticking toward the start of free agency next week and the Chicago Bears still have a ton of work after spending last week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The Bears still need to do some cap management before the start of the league year and currently are exploring potential trades that could help create space before having to make more releases. Before the free agency window opens, the Bears also want to try and work out extensions with pending free agents and the top name on the list is easily All-Pro safety Kevin Byard III.
“I think the clear one is safety,” Poles explained. “All four guys are up, and Kevin is one of the leaders of our team, so he’s a guy that we are interested in bringing back, and from there it’s a domino effect of what we can and can’t do, but we’ll start with our own and build off into free agency.”
Despite coming off a strong season in which he led the league in interceptions, Byard isn’t expected to have a strong market and will be picky when it comes to his 2026 destination. The best option is staying in Chicago where there’s mutual interest and positive momentum building.
Kevin Byard III is trending toward staying in Chicago
Retaining Byard has to be priority No. 1 for the Bears this week. He’s a proven leader for this team and locking in one safety before free agency would be a great start to the offseason additions. As it stands, Byard is still leaning toward staying in Chicago as well.
“Kevin Byard, I was told by somebody who would know, that he is 70-30 that he’s going to be a Bear,” David Kaplan of ESPN1000 said on Tuesday. “They’re working on it, they’re trying to get a deal done that’s fair for both sides. How do you not give this guy a raise? I know he’s in his 30’s, but he’s first-team All Pro. He played at an amazing level. And then, you’re going to have to pair him, probably with a young safety, unless there is a veteran out there and they can make a deal.”
There’s a lot to unpack there, but first it’s worth nothing that Kaplan and Byard worked together the last two years with Byard’s podcast, so the 70-30 thing holds some serious weight. Bringing back Byard would also give Chicago one veteran safety to bring into 2026 and keeps a core leader in the locker room, it just makes too much sense not to do this.
After that, the Bears will weigh whether or not to pair Byard with a young safety or another free agent as Kaplan laid out. The Bears met with two first-round draft options at the NFL Combine in Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Dillon Thieneman with a solid crop of prospects that will be available on Day 2. As for free agents, there’s good value in players such as Kyle Dugger and Jaylinn Hawkins.
As for getting a deal done with Byard that’s best for both sides, there’s conflicting reports on what that could look like.
Bears experts have differing opinions on what Kevin Byard’s price would be for Chicago
On Monday, Kevin Fishbain and Dan Wiederer of The Athletic and Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune both emptied their NFL Combine notebooks and had insight about what to expect when it comes to Byard’s expected price on a new deal.
Here’s what Fishbain and Wiederer had to say:
“Byard’s market might not be as robust as he’d hoped. One league source believes the Bears could potentially bring him back on a deal similar to the two-year, $15 million package he originally arrived with.”
And here’s what Biggs had to say:
“After he earned $15 million over the last two seasons, I’d expect Byard to get a raise, maybe close to $10 million annually.“
I’m in the same boat as Kaplan and Biggs that Byard deserves a slight raise after his performance from last season and it’s not a price the Bears should balk at. As Biggs noted, another top free agent safety in Nick Cross is expected to get closer to $15 million annually. Getting Byard locked up for $10 million a year isn’t a bad deal at all.
I expect the Bears and Byard to get a two-year deal at that price done soon, before the start of free agency next week. From there, the Bears will have a better plan in place to attack other needs in free agency.
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