Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles has made it clear from the beginning of the offseason that he wants to bring back safety Kevin Byard, and that remains the case.
Poles sat down with Rich Eisen on his show to discuss multiple topics involving the Bears. Eisen asked the Poles which position he is most focused on in the draft and whether he is interested in bringing back any of the free-agent defensive backs, including Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Nahshon Wright, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
"I think the clear one is safety," Poles said. "All four guys are up, and Kevin is one of the leaders of our team, so he's a guy that we are interested in bringing back, and from there it's a domino effect of what we can and can't do, but we'll start with our own and build off into free agency."
Ryan Poles again states that he wants Kevin Byard back
This is now the second time that Poles has specifically brought up Byard as a guy the Bears want to bring back. Bears fans haven't really heard him utter the other three starting defensive backs, but it's clearer than ever now that he wants Byard in their uniform in 2026.
Byard is coming off an All-Pro season in which he led the NFL with seven interceptions. He was playing off a two-year, $15 million contract with the Bears, with his expected market value at about $7.8 million per year.
At age 32, there are going to be some concerns with Byard regressing as a player, but he showed last year that he can still play at a high level. There might have been some inconsistencies in coverage, but he's a playmaker and a true leader on that defense.
As for the other three free agent defensive backs for the Bears, there is less hope that all three can return. Wright is expected to get over $10 million per year, which is way too expensive for the Bears. Brisker and Gardner-Johnson are on the fence, but the Bears are expected to look in the secondary early in the NFL Draft to find a new starter there.
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The first big domino that needs to fall is the Bears trading or releasing linebacker Tremaine Edmunds after granting him permission to seek a trade. After that, locking up Byard on a new deal appears to be the next move for them.