The Chicago Bears apparently care less about defensive lineman Ray McDonald's off-field issues than the San Francisco 49ers did.
The Bears signed McDonald to a contract, per ESPN's Chris Mortensen, after the 49ers released him in December. He was investigated on suspicion of sexual assault in a case last year that remains open. McDonald hasn't been charged in relation to the case and has sued the woman who brought up the charges against him.
But the Niners saw a "pattern of poor decision-making" as justification for his release, which they termed a "termination." That pattern included a prior incident in which McDonald was implicated in a domestic abuse case involving his fiancée last August, but the team had stood by him through that and McDonald was cleared in the case by November.
The connection to Chicago is new Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who is running John Fox's defense with the Bears and expected to implement a similar 3-4 scheme to what Fangio ran as the 49ers' coordinator the past several years.
You have to wonder if the Bears protected themselves in the language of the contract against any potential legal trouble should land on McDonald, who turns 31 next season, again. Terms and length of the deal were not reported yet.
McDonald has been a starter the past four seasons for the Niners and had collected 19.5 sacks and four forced fumbles over his eight-year career.
The Bears also signed former Washington Redskins defensive end Jarvis Jenkins to help fortify the defense.
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