Ex-Steelers CB Artie Burns, Bears Agree to 1-Year Contract in Free Agency

Free-agent cornerback Artie Burns has agreed to a deal with the Chicago Bears. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Burns' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed his client will sign a one-year contract. 

Burns became a free agent after spending the past four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract in May 2019. 

Chicago will give Burns a fresh start after a disappointing stint with the Steelers. 

In March 2019, according to ProFootballTalk's Charean Williiams, head coach Mike Tomlin admitted he was disappointed in Burns, while general manager Kevin Colbert suggested at the time the former first-round pick has lost his confidence.

"He's had a good offseason ... We had good meetings with him. He wants to be back where he was," Colbert added. The Steelers must not have been impressed enough with his offseason to retain him, though.

Burns appeared in all 16 games in each of his first three seasons with the Steelers. In 2017, he started all 16 games, too.

The 2018 season was when things really seemed to take a downturn for Burns. 

In October against the Cleveland Browns, Burns was benched. Tomlin explained the move was because of the player's lateness to a Saturday walkthrough, per Ed Bouchette for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That said, he never fully regained his starting role and was benched again in December in favor of Coty Sensabaugh.

Last season saw Burns miss the final six games. He initially suffered a knee injury in Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns but was a healthy scratch for the final three games. 

The Bears will afford Burns with an opportunity to reinvent his career. He was a first-round pick in 2016 and is only 24 years old heading into his fifth NFL season.