Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Bears are expected to sign C Coleman Shelton to a one-year contract.
Biggs notes that Shelton should compete with newly acquired OL Ryan Bates at center this summer.
The Rams were working to re-sign Shelton after he exercised his player option to become a free agent. However, it looks like the Bears could end up being his best option in the end.
Shelton, 28, originally signed on with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent out of Washington back in 2018. He was cut coming out of the preseason and signed with the Titans’ practice squad. He signed with the Cardinals’ taxi squad in October of 2018 and later re-signed to a futures deal.
The Rams signed Shelton off Arizona’s practice squad back in September of 2019. He re-signed to an exclusive rights deal in 2021 and re-signed as a restricted free agent in 2022.
Shelton was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 when he signed a two-year, $4.8 million contract that included a player option for 2024.
In 2023, Shelton appeared in all 17 games for the Rams, making 17 starts for them at center. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 17 center out of 36 qualifying players.
We have him included in our Top 100 Available 2024 NFL Free Agents list.
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