The Chicago Bears might be the most active team in the week leading up to the official NFL free agency period.
On Thursday, general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears announced they were re-signing special teams standout and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga to a 2-year deal worth $5 million,
This news came just minutes after it was announced that the Bears were also re-signing Josh Blackwell, who is one of the better special teams players not only on this roster but in the league. Blackwell is consistently underrated when it comes to the special teams department and also offers depth in the slot behind Kyle
Between re-signing Ogbongbemiga and Blackwell, the Bears have sent a message to special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, whom Ben Johnson chose to retain.
Ryan Poles is prioritizing what matters most with recent roster moves
In re-signing Ogbongbemiga and Josh Blackwell on the same day, Poles has made it abundantly clear that he is going to give Hightower whatever he needs to not just maintain continuity but to succeed.
Last season, Ogbongbemiga played a more special teams snaps than he has in his 4-year career (366), which was good for 84 percent of all Bears special teams snaps in 2024.
Ogbongbemiga is a do-it-all special teams ace, too, as he appears on kickoff coverage, kickoff return, punt and punt return, along with field goal and field goal block formations.
Chicago has clearly prioritized protecting Caleb Williams even before free agency kicks off, by trading for both Jonah Jackson and two-time All Pro Joe Thuney earlier in the week. Additionally, the team signed a solid blocking tight end early on Thursday in one of Ben Johnson's old friends, Durham Smythe.
But, beyond protecting Williams, the Bears want to play clean on special teams, too. And, what better way to do that than to bring back a pair of your top players in this department?