Nick McCloud has lined up his next NFL opportunity. The veteran corner has signed with the Bears, his agency announced on Monday. 
McCloud made a pair of appearances with the Bengals during his rookie season, but most of his 48 career games have come with the Giants. The former UDFA was in New York from 2022 to the midway point of this past campaign, one in which he was waived. McCloud made five starts in 2024, but it was clear the Giants were interested in moving on after a request to take a pay cut to the veteran minimum was turned down.
No teams put in a claim, but it did not take McCloud long to find a new home. He signed with the 49ers to close out the season, one in which the team fell short of expectations and missed the playoffs. During his eight San Francisco contests, the 26-year-old played sparingly on defense and made more of an impact on special teams. That could prove to be the case in Chicago.
The Bears have Jaylon Johnson attached to a lucrative long-term deal, while Kyler Gordon has proven to be an effective slot corner. He too could soon have an extension in place soon, creating the need for inexpensive options elsewhere on the depth chart. Chicago has Tyrique Stevenson attached to his rookie deal for two more years, and after starting 14 games last season he can be expected to handle a heavy workload moving forward.
As a result, McCloud’s path to earning a roster spot during training camp will likely consist of carving out a backup role on defense in addition to his third phase contributions. The Notre Dame product has posted only one interception and 10 pass deflections in his career, but he has logged nearly 1,200 special teams snaps to date. He will look to use that experience with the Bears in 2025.