The Chicago Bears need bodies at linebacker after losing Nick Roach and Geno Hayes to free agency and enduring a very public split with Brian Urlacher. The rebuilding process is underway.
After signing former Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams to replace Urlacher, the Bears announced Sunday that they have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with James Anderson.
The former Panthers linebacker made 53 starts for Carolina over the past seven seasons, playing mostly on the strong side but showing enough versatility to be used at the Will spot and down the middle. Anderson's 94 appearances are the most by a linebacker in Panthers history, and he also set a franchise single-game record with 20 tackles against the New York Giants last September.
Despite that heady performance, the cash-strapped Panthers released Anderson two seasons into the five-year, $22 million contract he signed in 2011. Now it's on to the Windy City.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
