Bears Signing Devin Bush Is One Of The Best Free Agency Moves Of 2026

Recently, Pro Football Focus picked the best moves of the 2026 NFL free agency period, and of the seven transactions they highlighted, one involved the Chicago Bears. It wasn’t signing Coby Bryant away from the Super Bowl champs or the trade of DJ Moore for a second-rounder; it was the addition of linebacker Devin Bush.

Here’s how PFF broke it down.

2025 PFF Grade: 87.6
2025 PFF WAR: 0.26
Contract: 3 years, $30 million
PFF Projected Contract: 3 years, $36 million
PFF Deal Grade: Very Good

The Bears immediately replace Tremaine Edmunds, whom they recently released, with Bush, who revived his career in Cleveland to the tune of back-to-back 79.0-plus PFF overall grades. Bush, PFF’s ninth-ranked free agent, surrendered just a 69.3 passer rating in coverage this past season, the second-best mark among linebackers. He keeps the Bears’ defense in great shape at a reasonable price point.

Bush, the 10th overall pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 out of Michigan, has revitalized his career over the last few years. After the Steelers declined his fifth-year option and let him go as a free agent, he signed on with the Seattle Seahawks on a one-year deal, where he was a reserve and special teamer. In the 250 snaps he played for Seattle on defense, his passer rating against while in coverage was a career best 84.9.

In 2024, he signed a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns and started 10 of the 16 games he played in. He nearly doubled his reps on defense (497), and he improved his passer rating against while in coverage to 77.8.

Last year, he played on another one-year deal with the Browns, and his passer rating against was even better at 64.2 (per Pro Football Reference). He also set or tied career bests in tackles (125), interceptions (3), passes defended (8), forced fumbles (2), and sacks (2), while starting all 17 games. Two of his interceptions went for touchdowns (the most in the NFL), including a 97-yarder, and his 164 interception return yards led the league.

The Bears wanted more speed at the linebacker position, and Bush will bring that to Dennis Allen’s defense.

Do you expect Bush to build off his 2025 and have an even more impactful 2026?