Free Agent Breakdown: DL Ray McDonald
By Dan Durkin-
What happened: The Bears have signed defensive end Ray McDonald, per a report from ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
How it affects the Bears' salary cap: Terms of the deal have yet to be released for McDonald. When Tuesday started, Chicago had about $14.9 million in cap space, then signed defensive end Jarvis Jenkins to a one-year veteran-minimum deal.
Player bio bits: The 30-year old McDonald was a third-round pick (97th overall) by the 49ers out of Florida in the 2007 draft. An eight-year veteran, McDonald has appeared in 115 career games, with 68 starts. He became a full-time starter in 2011, which is the same year current Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio arrived in San Francisco. He's been a productive starter who has accumulated 154 tackles, 19.5 sacks, five forced fumbles (one returned for a touchdown) and an interception in his career.
How McDonald fits the Bears' system: Earlier today, the Bears signed free agent defensive end Jarvis Jenkins to a one-year deal. Prior to the Jenkins and McDonald signings, the Bears were short on players who could man the four/five technique in Fangio's scheme. With McDonald, they've added a durable and proven starter who has been highly productive as both a pass rusher and run stopper as a left end in a 30-front. He will be 31 at the start of the season, but his tape gives no indication that he's slowing down on the field.
McDonald comes with off-field baggage, as he was cut by the 49ers late last season amid an ongoing sexual assault investigation.
Dan Durkin covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @djdurkin.