Chicago Bears Sign Free Agent Punter

The Chicago Bears have announced the signing of punter Ryan Anderson.

Anderson, a 27-year-old graduate of Rutgers, expressed his gratitude on Twitter for the opportunity to continue pursuing his dream of playing professional football. He previously participated in the Alliance of American Football and a rookie camp with the New England Patriots.

Although he has yet to punt in an NFL game, Anderson was a standout punter in college, earning numerous accolades including First Team All Big Ten and the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year award in 2017.

Extremely fortunate to still be playing this game! Beyond grateful to the Bears Organization for giving me the opportunity to continue living out my dream! #BearDown 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Cu2h5LrzhZ

— Ryan Anderson (@RMAThePunter) April 10, 2023

With the addition of Anderson, the Bears will have two punters heading into offseason activities, joining seventh-round draft pick Trenton Gill who had a promising rookie season with the team last year. The Bears' special teams coordinator has spoken highly of Gill, even saying that he's the kind of person he would want as a son-in-law.

Anderson's left-footed punting skills will provide nice depth to the Bears' special teams unit. The signing marks another opportunity for Anderson to pursue his dream of playing professional football, having previously signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2019 before being waived.

Overall, the Bears are bolstering their punting position with the signing of Anderson and the continued development of Gill.

It will be interesting to see how these two punters perform during offseason activities and how the Bears' special teams unit fares during the upcoming season. Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports