The Bears on Sunday bolstered their secondary by agreeing to terms with veteran safety Kevin Byard on a two-year contract, pending a physical.
Byard, 30, has appeared in 130 NFL games with 121 starts over eight seasons with the Titans (2016-23) and Eagles (2023). He has recorded 749 tackles, 28 interceptions, 66 pass breakups, four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, 15 tackles-for-loss, 4.0 sacks and two touchdowns.
Byard's 28 interceptions are tied for the fifth most among active NFL players.
He has also started all eight playoff games he's played in, compiling 49 tackles and one interception, picking off Lamar Jackson in a 28-12 divisional win over the Ravens Jan. 11, 2020, in Baltimore.
Despite not being invited to the NFL Combine, Byard was selected by Tennessee in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Middle Tennessee, leaving as the school's all-time leader with 19 career interceptions.
With the Titans, the 5-11, 212-pounder was chosen first-team All-Pro and voted to the Pro Bowl in 2017 when he led the NFL with a career-high eight interceptions and again in 2021 when he picked off five passes. Byard was subsequently ranked as the 34th best NFL player in 2022 by his peers.
He also threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to Dane Cruikshank on a fake punt Sept. 16, 2018, in a 20-17 win over the Texans.
Byard was traded to the Eagles last Oct. 23 in exchange for 2024 fifth- and sixth-round picks and safety Terrell Edmunds, the brother of Bears middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Byard was released by Philadelphia March 1. The Bears were able to agree to terms with Byard prior to the start of the new league year Wednesday because he had been released by the Eagles and was not due to become an unrestricted free agent.
His arrival comes nearly a month after the Bears released veteran safety Eddie Jackson. Byard joins a secondary that also includes safety Jaquan Brisker, cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson—who agreed to a four-year extension last Thursday—and Tyrique Stevenson and nickel back Kyler Gordon.
