The Chicago Bears entered the offseason knowing depth on the defensive and offensive lines was an issue.
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The Bears let four safeties and cornerback Nashon Wright leave in free agency, opening up more needs in the secondary ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Chicago also lost defensive tackle Andrew Billings, who had been a key run enforcer for the team since 2023.
On Wednesday, the Bears added a replacement for Billings.
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Bears signed nose tackle James Lynch to a one-year deal.
The #Bears are adding depth along the D-line, signing veteran James Lynch, his agent at @LIFTSPORTSMNGMT tell The Insiders. Former #Vikings and #Titans DL is signing a 1-year deal. pic.twitter.com/Q5rnv1NUPc
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2026
The Chicago Bears added James Lynch for depth
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Lynch was a fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. He spent the 2024 and 2025 campaigns with the Tennessee Titans.
During his first five seasons in the league, Lynch has recorded 98 tackles, 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Lynch, 27, has appeared in 71 games and started four. He started in one game for the Titans last season.
Per Pro Football Focus, Lynch was graded as the 87th best interior defensive lineman out of 134 players.
The six-foot-four, 295-pound athlete played college football at Baylor and is from Round Rock, Texas. Lynch earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 when he recorded 41 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, five passes defensed, two blocked kicks and three forced fumbles.
It appears the Bears made the signing to add depth at defensive tackle, though it will be an uphill climb for the veteran to earn a starting job for the upcoming season.
Chicago made a wise move by bringing in a depth piece to stuff the run. The Bears need to add players who can rush the quarterback via the draft.
Lynch has also made contributions to special teams, though his impact has been smaller there in the NFL than he was with Baylor. He played just three percent (15 total) of the Titans special teams snaps last season. He played in 32 percent of Tennessee’s defensive snaps, tied for the highest mark of his career.
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