Chicago, in the midst of the rebuild, is adding a veteran presence at the linebacker position.
The Bears signed linebacker Dan Skuta to a one-year deal, the team announced Monday. Skuta spent the previous two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The linebacker played on the outside in Todd Wash's defense in Jacksonville but likely will line up at one of the two inside backer positions in Chicago, where he'll reunite with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Skuta played under Fangio in San Francisco from 2013-2014, starting in 18 of the 30 games in which he appeared.
More importantly, Skuta's signing is an indication that usual starter Danny Trevathan, who is coming off a ruptured patellar tendon suffered in November, might not be ready for the start of the season. Chicago turned to youngster Nick Kwiatkoski in Trevathan's absence, but that was more of an opportunity for the linebacker to gain experience at the end of an otherwise lost season. With a fresh slate ahead and a face familiar to Fangio available in free agency, Chicago has opted to plug the gap with a veteran presence.
Elsewhere in transaction news:
- As general manager John Lynch continues to throw spaghetti at the wall and keep what sticks, it seems as though DuJuan Harris wasn't quite al dente. After signing Kapri Bibbs and drafting Joe Williams, Harris is the odd man out in San Francisco. The 49ersofficially released Harris on Monday, just five weeks after re-signing the running back.
- Speaking of former 49ers running backs, Seattle was awarded Mike Davis off waivers, the team announced.
- Running back Terrance West signed his original-round restricted free agent tender with the Ravens on Monday, the team announced. West was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2014 draft.
