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The Chicago Bears used the roster spot freed up by the release of DE Ray McDonald to add some cornerback depth by signing 7-year veteran Tracy Porter. I was hoping the Bears would use that roster spot on some depth at defensive end, but the secondary would have been my second choice so I’m not complaining. It’s possible the Bears don’t like any of the veteran DEs available and will address the position later in training camp when teams start making cuts. As for Porter, he spent last season with the Redskins though was limited to only 3 games by shoulder and hamstring injuries.
Porter, who will be 29 this season, was projected to be the Redskins starting slot corner after signing a 2-year, $6M deal before the 2014 season. After a disappointing first season in Washington, the Skins released Porter on May 27th which saved them $2.3M in cap money.
The former 2nd round pick out of Indiana in 2008 spent his first four seasons with the Saints as their starting right corner and is perhaps best known for intercepting a Peyton Manning pass and returning it 74-yards for a TD that helped seal the Saints win in Super Bowl XLIV. Porter (5’11 | 185) earned positive grades from Pro Football Focus in his first three years as the Saints starting corner, but his play slipped in 2011 and he has bounced around the league since with one year stops in Denver, Oakland and Washington.
Bears GM Ryan Pace is familiar with Porter from his time with the Saints and Porter also played for John Fox with the Broncos in 2012. Porter’s play has been inconsistent the last few seasons and he has struggled to stay healthy, but he brings some much needed experience to a young secondary and is considered a strong locker room presence. He will most likely compete for snaps at the slot corner position with fellow veteran Tim Jennings and last year’s slot corner Demontre Hurst. The exact terms of the 1-year contract haven’t been released yet, but it’s expected to be near the veteran minimum.