The Chicago Bears are signing former Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan and former Carolina Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman to one-year deals, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Foreman’s deal is worth $3 million, a source said.
Tonyan becomes the second key offensive player to leave the Packers in free agency, following Allen Lazard, who reached a four-year deal with the New York Jets earlier this week. The Packers also are negotiating with the Jets to trade quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he wants to play for New York this coming season.
In Chicago, Tonyan joins a tight end depth chart led by Cole Kmet, who had 50 receptions for 544 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
A torn ACL midway through the 2021 season slowed Tonyan, but by late last season he appeared back on form. Even with the slow start to 2022, he caught a career-best 53 passes for the second 50-plus-catch season of his career.
He made the most of his opportunities, catching 79.1% of his targets last season for the fourth-highest reception percentage among tight ends.
As for Foreman, he’s the second running back Chicago has secured this offseason, joining Travis Homer. The Bears are looking to replace David Montgomery, who agreed to a three-year deal with the Detroit Lions.
Last year, Foreman signed a one-year deal with Carolina to help back up star Christian McCaffrey. That turned into a starting job after McCaffrey was traded to the San Francisco 49ers six games into the season.
Foreman, 26, responded with 914 yards and a career-best 4.5 yards per carry. He was at his best in a late-season game against the Lions when he rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries to earn the NFC Offensive Player of the Week Award.
He was able to fulfill a promise made to his father days before his father was killed in a one-vehicle crash in October of 2021.
“I told him if I ever get another opportunity that I was going to take it and make the best of it,” Foreman said.
Foreman thought his NFL career was over after being released by the Atlanta Falcons in August of 2021. Then in November he was signed by the Tennessee Titans after star back Derrick Henry was injured. He responded with 566 yards rushing in nine games, including three starts.
He has 2,166 total yards and 12 total touchdowns in 43 games over five NFL seasons.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky and David Newton contributed to this report.