More Bears Special Teams Help Arrives

Bears GM Ryan Poles ended his break from signing players and added some linebacker/special teams depth by signing former Texans and Titans linebacker Dylan Cole.

It was the first Bears signing in a week after bringing in 10 new players in the first few days of free agency.

Cole, 28, is 6-foot, 237 pounds. Going into his seventh NFL season, he made eight of his nine NFL starts last season for the Tennessee Titans. He has played in 61 NFL games with 147 tackles.

The Bears' signing of running back Travis Homer had a big special teams slant to it, and this one does, as well.

In his six seasons, Cole has played 1,145 special teams snaps. He has never played less than 62% of the special teams plays he was healthy and eligible to participate in, and the last two seasons in Tennessee was in on 76% and 74% of Titans special teams plays.

During five of his seasons he had a big role as a special teams tackler and the last two seasons made 14 and 10 total special teams tackles. He has 40 total special teams tackle, including 32 solo tackles.

The Bears still haven't signed back their own special teams ace, safety DeAndre Houston-Carson and with Homer and Cole they can help make up for his loss if he isn't back.

As a starter last year for eight of the Titans games, he had 50 tackles, including four for loss. He had a career-high seven against the Colts in Week 4.

Although Cole only started one game for the Texans in 37 regular-season games, he did make two interceptions and scored a TD. He had 67 tackles and five for loss in Houston.

The Texans signed him as an undrafted free agent from Missouri State in 2017.

Cole is the fourth former Titans player brought in during this free agency period. Guard Nate Davis, defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker and running back D'Onta Foreman also played for Tennessee. Foreman was with Carolina after playing for Tennessee, though.

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