Mario Edwards didn’t start any games for the Bears last season. But the defensive lineman certainly made an impact when called upon. Edwards collected 4 sacks, 7 quarterback hits, and 6 tackles-for-loss while playing just 23.9 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. That’s plenty of production in a small sample of plays.
Soon, he’ll get more chances to put up numbers in a Bears uniform:
DE Mario Edwards, who had four sacks last season for Chicago, is finalizing a three-year deal to remain with the Bears, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2021
In other news: The #Bears have agreed to terms on a 3-year, $11.55M deal with DE Mario Edwards, source said. After bouncing around, he found his footing in Chicago with a new attitude and now will stick around.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2021
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Edwards, 27, is sticking around on a three-year deal. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport adds the financials, reporting the contract is worth up to $11.55 million.
Maybe the Bears believe they can get more from him with more snaps. Or perhaps they think Edwards is an ideal fit as a rotational defensive lineman. In any case, it looks like Edwards is back in the fold — even if he won’t be with the team to begin the year.
Edwards is facing a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He will be able to participate in offseason activities, training camp, and preseason games. But Edwards won’t be available for Weeks 1 and 2 of the upcoming season. Additionally, the league has yet to share public resolution when it comes to its investigation of assault charges against Edwards that came up during the 2020 season. The charges stem from an incident on October 17 with a woman who says she was dating Edwards at the time. If you’ll recall, the Bears were in Charlotte that weekend to play the Carolina Panthers. The Bears and NFL said they were investigating the situation, but haven’t shared anything publicly since.
While the quarterback search has me angsty, I have some confidence in the Bears to patch together a solid defense. Having big names obviously helps. But it’s been GM Ryan Pace and his staff’s ability to unearth rotational defenders for that unit. Edwards is simply the latest in a long line of contributors. With that being said, I’ll be curious to see how this deal is structured and how it impacts the Bears’ improving cap situation.