Blast from Vikings’ Past Signs with Bears

Remember James Lynch? A Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle draftee six years ago? He’s a Chicago Bear, signing with Ben Johnson’s team on Wednesday.

Another ex-Viking found his way to the NFC North.

Lynch will fight for a roster spot later this summer, but he has a decent chance to continue a career once ravaged by injuries in the Twin Cities.

Lynch Could Fit on the Bears’ Reworked Defensive Front

After Teddy Bridgewater, Tyler Conklin, and D.J. Wonnum to the Detroit Lions within the last week, another former Viking has joined a rival.

Lynch to CHI

Chicago already added center Garrett Bradbury via trade, also an ex-Viking, this offseason; Wednesday was the time for defense.

NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote, “The Bears are set to add a defensive lineman to their roster. According to multiple reports, they have agreed to a deal with James Lynch. It’s a one-year deal in Chicago for the veteran lineman.”

“Lynch spent the last two seasons with the Titans and appeared in all 34 of the team’s games. He had 45 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The move to the Bears will be a return to the NFC North for Lynch, who entered the league as a Vikings fourth-round pick in 2020.”

If Lynch earns a spot on Chicago’s 53-man roster in August, the Vikings will see him twice next year as the enemy.

The Bears’ Revised DT Group

With Lynch now in the house, these are the Bears’ defensive tackles from a March viewpoint:

• Gervon Dexter Sr.
• Grady Jarrett
• Neville Gallimore
• Kentavius Street
• Shemar Turner
• James Lynch

Lynch’s fate this summer may boil down to whether the Bears draft a DT or two somewhere in the draft. If so, Lynch might be staring at the practice squad in 2026 or an outright roster release.

Bear Goggles On‘s Anthony Miller on the Lynch signing: “Many Bears fans would prefer to have a starting-caliber defensive tackle join the team, but Lynch at least gives Chicago more depth at a position that saw multiple players leave the team. If Chicago looks at a starter at defensive tackle, it would most likely come in the NFL Draft in one of the earlier rounds.”

“Lynch joins Kentavius Street and Neville Gallimore as the new additions to the defensive line after almost two weeks of free agency in the books. While this is a group with a lot of experience, they are all good rotational players who can help the defense. Chicago got better with Lynch on the team, even if it doesn’t feel like it had a massive effect on the team.”

Lynch’s Career Bio

Drafted by Rick Spielman in the 4th round of the 2020 draft, Lynch’s tenure with the Minnesota Vikings lasted roughly three and a half years — longer than some might have anticipated — before he joined the Tennessee Titans last season.

In 37 games with the Vikings, including three starts, Lynch showed glimpses of potential, recording 53 tackles and 2 sacks and demonstrating his ability to contribute as a rotational player.

However, consistent availability was a challenge. Injuries hampered his development and prevented him from securing a regular role. Although the Vikings briefly brought him back in 2023, he ultimately failed to make the final 53-man roster.

So, he turned to Tennessee for a career reclamation. The plan worked. Lynch played 34 games for the Titans in 2024 and 2025, logging 45 total tackles and a sack and a half. He saw action on 579 defensive plays in two years — or about 30% of the time. By now, Lynch is a depth defensive lineman.

This is Lynch’s official NFL resume:

• Minnesota Vikings (2020–2023)
• Tennessee Titans (2024–2026)
• Chicago Bears (2026-now)

Lynch logged a lowly 53.0 Pro Football Focus mark last season.

The Bears’ FA Scorecard

In free agency, Chicago has fired up these signings and extensions:

• Coby Bryant (S) SEA → CHI
• Braxton Jones (T) CHI → CHI
• Jaylon Jones (S) CHI → CHI
• Case Keenum (QB) CHI → CHI
• Cam Lewis (CB) BUF → CHI
• James Lynch (DL) TEN → CHI
• Jordan McFadden (G) LAC → CHI
• Kalif Raymond (WR) DET → CHI
• Kentavius Street (DL) ATL → CHI
• Neville Gallimore (DL) IND → CHI
• Elijah Hicks (CB) CHI → CHI

And the Bears have lost these players to new teams. Warning: the list is unusually huge:

• Andrew Billings (DL) CHI → ARI
• Jaquan Brisker (S) CHI → PIT
• Kevin Byard (S) CHI → NE
• Devin Duvernay (WR) CHI → ARI
• Tremaine Edmunds (LB) CHI → NYG
• Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (S) CHI → BUF
• Jonathan Owens (S) CHI → IND
• Dominique Robinson (ED) CHI → HOU
• Durham Smythe (TE) CHI → BAL
• Chris Williams (DL) CHI → ATL
• Nahshon Wright (CB) CHI → NYJ
• Olamide Zaccheaus (WR) CHI → ATL

Lynch will turn 28 during the playoffs next season.