The Chicago Bears have signed Ray McDonald to a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday. McDonald was released by the San Francisco 49ers last December soon after allegations of sexual assault emerged.
Bears sign Ray McDonald to 1-year contract
McDonald was released by the 49ers in 2014 after being arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and accused of sexual assault.
Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
McDonald left San Francisco on poor terms. In August, he was also arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. Though charges weren’t pressed in either case, 49ers general manager Trent Baalke cited a “pattern of poor decision-making” as the reason Mcdonald’s release.
Though McDonald will go to Chicago carrying significant baggage, he should be an immediate asset on the field. As a defensive end in San Francisco’s 3-4 defense, he totaled 19.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and 10 passes defended along with 201 tackles in eight seasons. In 2014, McDonald appeared in 14 games and was effective despite off-field distractions, racking up 39 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble.
McDonald will reunite with another 49ers castoff, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, under new Bears head coach John Fox. Fangio engineered a unit that ranked among the top-five defenses in total yardage given up during each of the last four seasons. The Bears finished 30th and 31st in total defense, respectively, during head coach Marc Trestman’s only two years in Chicago with Mel Tucker as his defensive coordinator.
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