After a season in Green Bay, Jonathan Owens observed the Packers give Xavier McKinney a monster contract. A day later, Owens is committing to join the team’s top rival.
The Bears are bringing in Owens, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. While best known as Simone Biles’ husband, Owens has become a safety regular after starting his career as a special-teamer from the Division II ranks. He has worked as a starter for most of the past two seasons. Owens will sign a two-year deal worth $4.5MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
This contract would suggest the Bears are eyeing Owens for a depth role. Chicago agreed to terms with Kevin Byard recently, and 2022 second-round pick Jaquan Brisker remains in place. Although Owens started 28 games over the past two seasons — with the Texans and Packers — Pro Football Focus has graded him as a lower-end safety. That said, Owens made 125 tackles with the Texans in 2022 and notched a fumble-six with the Packers last year.
Using Owens as a starter in 11 games last season and both their playoff contests, the Packers gave McKinney a four-year, $68MM contract to help shore up the position. McKinney is now tied to the NFL’s third-most lucrative safety deal. The Bears recently shed their high-end safety contract — Eddie Jackson‘s — but will spend a bit extra to acquire an experienced backup.
Biles Soldier Field cameos can probably be expected, as the former Olympic champion made regular Lambeau Field appearances. Even if Owens is destined for a backup role in Chicago, he will make more than he did last season ($1MM). Undrafted out of Missouri Western, the 28-year-old defender has a runway to push his career to the eight-year mark.
The Bears are not the Packers top rival. I would say Detroit right now. Packers/Bears has barely been competitive for quite some time.
Just as the brewers are not the Cubs big rival at the moment
The Brewers have been better than the Cubs 5 out of the last 6 years. The Cubs top rival will always be the Cardinals, regardless of how competitive any of them are. Baseball in my opinion is different due to the amount of times you play each other in a season.
Good depth move. Plays hard.
Wrong last name. Correct last name is biles.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around somebody giving Mooney 40 million dollars.Then I saw it was the Falcons and I remembered who works there and it made sense. Well not sense, But I got it now.