Former Eagles LT Jason Peters Agrees to 1-Year Contract with Bears

Looking to boost their depth on the offensive line for the preseason, the Chicago Bears are going to bring in Jason Peters. 

Elite Loyalty Sports, the agency that represents Peters, told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Saturday the nine-time Pro Bowler has agreed to a one-year deal with the Bears. 

The addition of Peters comes as Teven Jenkins, the No. 39 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has been unable to practice throughout training camp due to a back injury. 

Bears head coach Matt Nagy told reporters after Saturday's preseason win over the Miami Dolphins that Peters' signing isn't necessarily an indicator that Jenkins will be out for an extended period of time. 

“He’s coming in here to compete to be the starting left tackle,” Nagy said. 

Coming off an injury-plagued 2020 season, Peters went into free agency hoping he would get a chance to redeem himself. 

Appearing on NFL Network's Good Morning Football in March (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra), Peters said he's "still got some in the tank" and could also serve as a mentor to young players. 

"You can know the X's and O's, but I'm gonna be the one to stay with 'em after practice and show 'em how to really play the game, the technique, and the things about the detail of the football game throughout the course of the season," he said. 

Peters was a late signing by the Philadelphia Eagles last season when he agreed to a one-year deal in July. He was initially going to play guard, but the Eagles moved him back to left tackle after Andre Dillard suffered a season-ending injury in August. 

A foot injury limited Peters to just eight games during the 2020 season. The 39-year-old is one of the best offensive linemen of this generation, but it would be unrealistic to expect him to return to his previous All-Pro levels.

The Bears can see what Peters has to offer as they begin to figure out their 53-man roster for the start of the regular season on Sept. 12 against the Los Angeles Rams.