General Manager Ryan Poles adds a 4.38-speed burner to the secondary as the defense prioritizes explosive athleticism and depth following a flurry of training camp roster moves.
The Chicago Bears have the need for speed.
That was true based on the player they signed recently. One theme from training camp so far is the number of signings the Bears have made in the secondary.
It started with undrafted free agent Marlen Sewell out of Vanderbilt. Then, there was safety Xavier Woods shortly after the injury to Coby Bryant.
The Bears then signed Brandon Hill and William Wright after waiving K.C. Eziomume and Gervarrius Owens.
Beanie Bishop was the latest defensive back to be signed. He had two interceptions in the 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns. Bishop must still serve a three-game suspension in the regular season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Then, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reported Tuesday that the Bears had signed former Jacksonville Jaguars corner Deantre Prince.
Prince played college football at Ole Miss and was granted an extra season of eligibility to return for 2023. He was then drafted by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
He played in 10 games during his rookie year and recorded 8 total tackles. He wasn't able to make the team the following year and was waived during final roster cuts.
Prince then went to the UFL and played for the Louisville Kings before being cut in May. Before joining the Bears, he worked out for the Seattle Seahawks.
The Bears have desperately needed depth in the secondary, but what really stands out about Prince is his game-breaking speed.
He runs a 4.38 40-yard dash.
General Manager Ryan Poles made it clear that he wants to add speed to the defense in 2026. Poles believed the team did that because of the players they brought in during free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.
It seems that they are still looking for more speed on defense with the recent addition on Prince.
At training camp practice on Wednesday, Prince was in and already made quite an impact. He intercepted quarterback Case Keenum, who was targeting receiver Maurice Alexander.
Keenum is a player to watch, especially with the recent injury to Tyson Bagent, who is questionable for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Keenum will most likely start at quarterback, with Miller Moss as the backup.
If it feels like there's been a never-ending list of defensive backs that the Bears have signed, it's because that's absolutely the case. You can never have too much depth, and that seems to be the approach that the Bears are taking.
