The bus carrying former Chicago Bears to Flowery Branch is packed.
The Falcons signed another former Bear in right tackle/guard Germain Ifedi, who signed a one-year contract Wednesday.
Ifedi, 27, was a first-round pick (31st overall in 2016 from Texas A&M) by the Seahawks. He played the past two seasons with the Bears.
The Falcons, in addition to hiring former Bears general manager Ryan Pace, have signed five former Bears this offseason – Ifedi, running back Damien Williams, wide receiver Damiere Byrd, offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson and safety Teez Tabor.
Ifedi, who’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 344 pounds, should provide competition for right tackle Kaleb McGary, who’s been durable but has struggled against elite pass rushers.
Ifedi has made 83 starts in the NFL and started all 16 games for Chicago in 2020, six games at right tackle and 10 games at right guard. Ifedi re-signed with Chicago in 2021, but suffered a knee injury in Week 5 and was not activated until late December.
With free agency winding down, here’s what the Falcons have done:
Extension
Jake Matthews, LT – Three years, $55.5 million.
Retained
Younghoe Koo, PK – Five years, $24.25 million ($11.5 guaranteed).
Olamide Zaccheaus, WR – $2.4 million tender.
Erik Harris, FS – One year, undisclosed.
Cordarrelle Patterson, RB, WR – Two years, $10.2 million.
Isaiah Oliver, CB – One year, $2.3 million.
Colby Gossett, OG – One year, $965,000.
Anthony Rush, DT – One year, $965,000.
Not retained
Foye Oluokun, LB – Three years, $45 million ($28 million guaranteed) with Jaguars.
Russell Gage, WR – Three years, $30 million with Bucs.
Josh Harris, LS – Four years, $5.6 million ($1.92 million guaranteed) with Chargers.
Hayden Hurst, TE – One year, $3.5 million ($2 million guaranteed) with the Bengals.
New players
Marcus Mariota, QB – Two years, $18.7 million ($6.7 guaranteed).
Casey Hayward, CB – Two years, $11 million.
Lorenzo Carter, OLB – One year, $3.5 million ($2 million guaranteed).
Damien Williams, RB – One year, $1.62 million. Included $500,000 signing bonus.
Elijah Wilkinson, OL – One year, $1.03 million.
Teez Tabor, DB – One year, $965,000.
KhaDarel Hodge, WR – One year, $1.03 million.
Rashaan Evans, LB – One year.
Beau Brinkley, LS – One year.
Damiere Byrd, WR – One year.
Germain Ifedi, OL – One year.
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