The Bears have reached an agreement to re-sign restricted free agent defensive lineman Daniel Hardy, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. It’s a two-year, $4.97MM pact with $2.45MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap.
Hardy, a Montana State product, entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick of the Rams in 2022. After suffering a high ankle sprain in the preseason, Hardy spent the majority of his rookie campaign on injured reserve. He returned late in the year to appear in six games, record four tackles and total 169 snaps (128 on special teams, 41 on defense).
Hardy did not make the Rams’ roster in his second season, but he quickly caught on with the Bears’ practice squad. While Hardy did not see any action in his first year in Chicago, he has since posted back-to-back 17-game seasons. Hardy has amassed just 85 defensive snaps with the Bears, but the 27-year-old has evolved into a core special teamer.
Last season was the second in a row in which Hardy led the Bears in special teams snap share. He played 77.85% of snaps and made the league’s sixth-most ST tackles (19) in 2025.
This is not a headliner deal but you can’t underestimate the value of a guy like this. Glad he’s staying..
Good use of the funds they save by losing Homer and Ogbombemiga hopefully for a core ST guy. He’s also flashed some as a DE on occasion. Certainly worth the price.
Now they just need to sign LAUREL !!