The Bears agreed to terms on one-year deals with safeties Craig Steltz and Danny McCray, the team announced Tuesday.
Steltz's deal is for the veteran minimum amount of $730,000, and he can earn another $65,000 in the form of roster bonuses.
Steltz has spent the last six years with the Bears, where he's carved out a niche as one of the club's most dependable contributors on special teams. Steltz finished third on the team with 14 special teams stops last season and recorded a career-high 12 tackles in his only start on defense Dec. 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Taken by the Bears in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL draft, Stelz started a career-best five games in 2011 and ended the year with 48 tackles, two forced fumbles and three tackles for loss.
McCray played four years for the Dallas Cowboys and has history with Bears special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis. He started 10 games at safety in 2012 and made 71 tackles.
The Bears have now signed four safeties in the offseason (Ryan Mundy, M.D. Jennings, Steltz and McCray) to compete with holdovers Chris Conte and Sean Cattouse. But general manager Phil Emery may also draft a starting caliber safety in May's NFL draft. With the exception of Mundy and whomever the Bears draft, if they do so, the rest of the safeties will have to battle in the preseason for the two or potentially three additional roster spots at the position.
Former starting strong safety Major Wright is not expected to return in free agency.
