The Bears' defensive line is getting deeper, and their first outside addition of the free agency period is a player coming off the best season of his career.
Chicago has agreed to terms with defensive tackle Neville Gallimore on a two-year, $12 million contract, according to NFL Network's The Insiders, confirmed also by the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs. The deal becomes official when the league year opens Wednesday, March 11. Gallimore, 29, spent the 2025 season with the Indianapolis Colts after stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams.
What Gallimore Did in 2025
Gallimore played all 17 regular-season games for Indianapolis, started eight of them, and posted career highs across the board. He finished with 38 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, and three passes defended while logging a career-high 467 defensive snaps. His 17 total pressures and 17 run stops at or behind the line of scrimmage on the year were both high marks for him as well. Indianapolis named him a team captain.
The 2025 season was the kind of breakout that tends to land a veteran a meaningful second contractβand that's exactly what happened here. At 6'2" and 307 pounds, Gallimore has the size and quickness to play multiple spots along the interior. His 3.5 sacks in 2025 matched his entire career sack total from the previous five seasons combined.
The Fit in Chicago
Grady Jarrett and Gervon Dexter are already in place as the Bears' starting interior defensive linemen. Gallimore slots in as a quality rotational pieceβsomeone who can spell both of them and push for playing time in obvious passing situations where his pass-rush ability is most valuable. Dennis Allen has been vocal about wanting more interior pressure, and Gallimore's 2025 tape suggests he can provide it.
The signing likely ends Andrew Billings' time in Chicago. Billings was the incumbent rotational DT who held that same kind of role for the Bears last season, and with Gallimore now in the fold, there's little reason to bring Billings back at any meaningful price. Poles got an upgrade without breaking the bank.
What It Means for the Offseason
At $12 million over two years, this is an affordable deal that checks a real box without eating into the cap space the Bears need for higher-priority positions. As we detailed in our offseason needs series, the interior defensive line wasn't the most urgent problem on this rosterβedge rusher and safety demanded more immediate attention. Adding a productive, experienced DT on a reasonable contract keeps that priority order intact.
The Bears are also still expected to address defensive tackle in the draft. Tribune reporter Brad Biggs has flagged Clemson's Peter Woods as a name to watch at pick No. 25. Gallimore's signing doesn't foreclose that optionβit just means any DT they draft in April arrives into a room with real depth rather than an obvious starting spot.