After five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds is packing his bags. Like many other free agents, Edmunds will be taking his talent to the Chicago Bears in 2023.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Edmunds is signing a four-year, $72 million contract with up to $50 million guaranteed. The former 16th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft is somehow still just 24 years old.
Edmunds is a monstrous 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, and gives the Bears an intimidating presence lurking over the middle of the field. Not only is Edmunds nearly the size of a Bear, he also has the speed to cover from sideline to sideline, giving head coach Matt Eberflus a replacement for Roquan Smith, who was traded to Baltimore last season.
- Tremaine Edmunds stats last season: 102 tackles (6 TFL), 1 INT, 7 PD, 1 sack
Edmunds ranked as the fifth-best linebacker per Pro Football Focus in 2022. He did so by posting an incredible 90 coverage grade while also having a positive 72 grade as a pass rusher.
Not only does he bring 74 games of starting experience to Soldier Field, Edmunds has also made eight playoff starts across four seasons with the Bills. After playing a big role in the NFL’s second-best defense last season, now Edmunds will look to provide a spark for a Bears D that finished dead-last in points allowed.
The Bears also added former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker T.J. Edwards earlier in the day as they continue to transform their linebacking corps.