The Chicago Bears rolled the dice on a former Green Bay Packers draft pick last December when they signed defensive lineman Jonathan Ford to their roster.
In return, Ford seized his limited opportunities and tallied nine total tackles with one for a loss on 77 defensive snaps, making an impact for the Bears’ defensive interior despite joining the roster in Week 15 with just four games left to play.
Now, the Bears are formally welcoming him back for the 2025 season.
On Monday, the Bears officially announced that Ford signed the exclusive rights free agent tender the team used on him in March before the new league year. He is now scheduled to return on a $1.03 million base salary, per Over the Cap.
The Bears also had four other players sign their tenders: defensive end Daniel Hardy, guard Bill Murray and cornerback Ameer Speed as exclusive rights free agents and defensive tackle Chris Williams as a restricted free agent.
Ford was a 2022 seventh-round pick for the Packers, but he never saw the field in nearly three full seasons with them. He also suffered an ankle injury last preseason that landed him on injured reserve and cut short his roster pursuit.
While the Packers eventually activated Ford, they waived him after he checked out medically and re-signed him to their practice squad — where he remained until the Bears signed him to their active roster for Week 15 against Minnesota.
Ford will now vie for a place in the Bears’ interior defensive line rotation in 2025, but how good his chances are of making the 53-man roster could depend on how much more talent they add during the NFL draft at the end of the month.
The Bears are already set to return Gervon Dexter Sr., Andrew Billings, Chris Williams and Zacch Pickens to their defensive interior in 2025. They also signed former Pro Bowl veteran Grady Jarrett on a lucrative contract in free agency.
If the Bears invest in another defensive tackle in the draft — and there is a strong case that they should — Ford will face a steep challenge in camp.