The Bears turned to the CFL to bolster their secondary with the signing of cornerback Tre Roberson last month. Roberson was widely regarded as the top free agent in the CFL, and there was a bidding war for his services in the NFL.
Chicago appears to be high on Roberson, as they gave him the largest CFL-to-NFL compensation since the Dolphins signed Cameron Wake for $4.9 million in 2014. Roberson signed a two-year deal worth $1.235 million, with $215,000 guaranteed.
Roberson chose the Bears over nine other teams, and it’s easy to wonder why. Chicago isn’t exactly the popular free-agent destination that they were just one year ago, following a 12-4 season.
For Roberson, it came down to his comfort-level with the organization and his belief that this is a team that can win a championship.
“I just feel real comfortable there,” Roberson told Bears All Access. “When I came on my visit to the Bears, my workout just felt like I was at home. They made sure I was real comfortable in every aspect of the trip. I just feel like a great place to be is close to home. I’m from a great place to be is close to home. I’m from Indianapolis, so it’s not too far away. We’ve been to Calgary, so it’s a long way from home. So I just feel like it was the best place for me, and I feel like I can help the organization get to the next level, which is winning the Super Bowl.”
Considering the lack of depth at the cornerback position, Roberson is a good addition as the Bears will surely look at add more this offseason. You figure Roberson’s addition signals the end of Prince Amukamara’s time in Chicago (as the salary-cap struggling Bears can save $9 million).
Roberson, 27, had seven interceptions in 16 games this season with the Calgary Stampeders.
