The Bears on Saturday released veteran cornerback Kyle Fuller.
Selected by the Bears with the 14th pick in the first round of the 2014 draft out of Virginia Tech, Fuller appeared in 96 games with 94 starts and recorded 390 tackles, 19 interceptions, 82 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and six tackles-for-loss.
Fuller, 29, was voted first-team All-Pro and named to his first Pro Bowl in 2018 when he led the NFL with a career-high seven interceptions and 21 pass breakups. The 5-11, 194-pounder returned to the Pro Bowl in 2019 after registering three interceptions and 12 pass breakups.
Last season Fuller compiled one interception and eight pass breakups, both career lows.
Fuller played in all 16 games in five of his six years with the Bears. The only exception was in 2016 when he missed the entire season with a knee injury. Since returning in 2017, he's made 64 straight starts.
Fuller was entering the final year of a four-year contract he signed in 2018 after the Bears matched an offer sheet he received from the Packers. He was due to become a free agent in 2018, but the Bears placed a transition tag on him, enabling them to match any offer he received.
It appears that Fuller will be replaced by veteran cornerback Desmond Trufant, who signed a one-year contract with the Bears Saturday.
Trufant, 30, has started all 103 games he's played in eight NFL seasons with the Falcons (2013-19) and Lions (2020). The 6-foot, 190-pounder has recorded 349 tackles, 14 interceptions, 83 pass breakups, 10 tackles-for-loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
