CHICAGO – After their failure to land a top cornerback on Thursday, the Chicago Bears signed Prince Amukamara to a one-year deal.
Amukamara, 27, battled injuries throughout his career in New York but played in 14 games for Jacksonville in 2016. As the Jaguars’ No. 2 cornerback, Amukamara recorded 49 tackles and five pass breakups but zero interceptions.
Terms: Not available
ESPN 150 Ranking: 44
Grade: C-plus/B-minus. Amukamara is talented, but will he be available? That’s the primary concern. As a No. 2 cornerback -- when healthy -- Amukamara can help the Bears. But there are too many durability unknowns to get overly excited. From a pure talent standpoint, though, Amukamara grades out higher. And he's supposed to be a great teammate. You can expect a seamless transition inside the locker room, according to those who know him from New York.
What it means: Again, Amukamara is here on a one-year contract. You have to temper your enthusiasm. The league didn’t view Amukamara the same way as free agent cornerbacks A.J. Bouye and Stephon Gilmore, both of whom the Bears were unable to sign. Still, Amukamara has a great opportunity to start in Chicago’s secondary. The only real proven commodity is Tracy Porter, who turns 31 in August. If he stays healthy, Amukamara should be in line for significant playing time in 2017.
What’s the risk: Amukamara missed 25 games due to injury from 2011-15. He hasn’t played a full 16-game schedule since 2013, so the threat of another injury is very real. Amukamara also failed to pick off a single pass last year. The Bears need playmakers in their secondary. Amukamara has only seven career interceptions to go along with three forced fumbles. However, Amukamara is on a one-year, prove-it deal. So, in reality, there’s little risk for the Bears.
