Devin Bush Bears contract talks have ended with Chicago agreeing on a three-year, $30 million deal for the free-agent linebacker after his strongest season with the Cleveland Browns.
Ian Rapoport reported that Bush, 27, joins the Bears after a productive 2025 campaign in which he recorded a career-high 125 tackles and returned two of his three interceptions for touchdowns. Those numbers helped raise his value in a competitive offseason market.
Chicago’s move adds an experienced linebacker to a defence that wants more production and playmaking. Bush also entered free agency with strong attention after ranking among the top available linebackers in offseason evaluations.
Bush spent the last two seasons with the Browns on one-year deals after earlier stops with the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers. His latest move gives him longer-term security and gives the Bears a proven option in the middle of the defence.
The linebacker first entered the NFL as a first-round pick in the 2019 draft when Pittsburgh selected him. He spent four seasons with the Steelers before moving to Seattle in 2023 and then rebuilding his form in Cleveland.
His departure also comes during a transition period for the Browns. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz resigned last month after helping shape one of the league’s strongest defences over the past three seasons.
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Most of Cleveland’s defensive staff and roster are expected to remain in place under new coordinator Mike Rutenberg. Even so, Bush’s exit removes one of the unit’s most productive players from last season.
For the Bears, the signing looks like a bet on recent form rather than only past draft status. Bush arrives with momentum, experience, and a statistical season that suggests he can still make a major impact.
