Bears Bring Back Deon Bush on a One-Year Contract

After losing Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in free agency, the Bears had to do something to get safeties on their roster and brought back their backup from last season

A day after the Bears lost their season opener largely because Jimmy Graham beat Bears backup safety Deon Bush for a touchdown catch in a 10-3 final, coach Matt Nagy was put in the unfamiliar position of defending one of his own defensive reserves.

The Bears coach usually is talking offense or, at the most defensively, his starters and not Bush.

"He’s a talented football player and he can help us win games," Nagy said.

Bush now is all the Bears have at the other starting safety spot.

The Bears signed him to a one-year deal on Friday for $1.4 million per his agency, Rosenhaus Sports.

Now, at least they have two safeties. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is gone. Sherrick McManis and DeAndre Houston-Carson are unrestricted free agents.

Bush has been with the Bears four years without breaking into the starting lineup. He has been valuable on special teams. Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano took a liking to his play in training camp and Nagy lauded his effort then, as well.

Then the Bears gave Bush 5% of the snaps on defense in 2019, the fewest snaps (58) he's had on defense in his entire career. Bush's high in total defensive snaps came as a rookie in 2016 with 31%, before they drafted Eddie Jackson.

In limited defensive snaps during 2018 Bush had allowed a 56.8 passer rating against when targeted, according to SportRadar, the NFL's official stat partner. Last year, though, Bush's rating against ballooned to 126.4. It was typical of what happened last season to the entire Bears secondary in Pagano's first season as defensive coordinator, and with a defensive line providing little pressure to go with 18 fewer sacks than in 2018.

Bush's strength originally was thought to be as a hitter, but he really hasn't had the chance to show he can play the role Adrian Amos had before last season. The Bears signed Clinton-Dix last offseason and Bush never really got the chance to move into the starting lineup.

The Bears still could be expected to address this position in free agency, including trying to bring back Houston-Carson and signing another player.

It also wouldn't be surprising if they drafted a safety. It's a position general manager Ryan Pace has found often later in the draft.

Jackson was a fourth-round selection in 2017. Bush was a fourth-round pick in 2016. Amos was a fifth-round pick in 2015. Houston-Carson was chosen in Round 6 in 2016.

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