The Chicago Bears are marching ahead in the NFL’s legal tampering window ahead of the start of the new league year on Wednesday, and one of their biggest objectives is to improve their secondary.
The Bears have already gotten a head start, agreeing to terms with former Seattle Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant and saying goodbye to breakout corner Nahshon Wright as he departs for the New York Jets. Conversely, Chicago added another name to the mix, reportedly reaching an agreement on a two-year contract with defensive back Cam Lewis, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Fowler added that Lewis was a “versatile piece for [the Buffalo] Bills over the past seasons, playing corner, safety, and nickel corner,” and that role may sound similar to Bears fans.
With Chicago looking to establish depth, Lewis’s arrival could mean bad news for C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who could be searching for a new team as he hits the free agent market.
Cam Lewis Profiles as Bears’ Replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Gardner-Johnson was a midseason attempt by the Bears to add depth to their secondary last season. Chicago thought it had its starting corners penciled in with Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Kyler Gordon.
Unfortunately, Johnson and Gordon missed extended time due to injury, and Stevenson fell out of favor with the new coaching staff led by head coach Ben Johnson.
Although Wright stepped up to aid the secondary, the Bears still needed help for the nickel corner spot and tabbed Gardner-Johnson due to his previous relationship with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. The reunion, however, had mixed results.
Gardner-Johnson logged 612 total snaps for the Bears, playing slot corner, box safety, and free safety over 11 games, according to Pro Football Focus. He also had an admirable performance, allowing 36 catches for 356 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions, three pass breakups, and three penalties (two declined) in 54 targets, but also logged a 50.0 overall PFF grade.
With that in mind, the Bears may have found a successful upgrade in Lewis.
While he battled hamstring, calf, shoulder, and ankle injuries, he played in all 17 games for Buffalo last season, logging the majority of defensive snaps as a box safety, slot corner, and free safety. He also performed well in coverage, allowing 26 catches for 242 yards and a touchdown with four pass breakups and three penalties (two declined) on 44 targets, per PFF.
Lewis may have cost a little more than Gardner-Johnson, but it could be money well spent. Gordon should resume as the Bears’ starting slot corner with a healthy offseason under his belt, but Lewis could contribute as depth at multiple positions if they lose a starter to injury. Upgrades are also important in the Bears' secondary after ranking first in the NFL in interceptions and turnover rate last season, yet ranking 22nd with 227.2 passing yards per game.
While the Bears could decide to bring back Gardner-Johnson as another depth piece, it’s more likely that he looks for his fifth team over the past two seasons after he hinted at his departure last weekend. That could leave the Bears in a better place and shore up some deficiencies to make a deeper playoff run next season.