It’s that time of year when former Notre Dame football players are learning about their next steps in their professional careers. For former Irish cornerback Nick McCloud, his next move is a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears.
McCloud, a seasoned special teams player and cornerback, has previously played for the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. He was part of the Notre Dame team during the 2020 season, which ended with a College Football Playoff appearance.
McCloud will be joining the Bears for the 2025 season on a one-year deal worth $1.32 million, with $50,000 guaranteed and a $1.18 million cap hit. As of now, the roster stands at 68, and the Bears’ current cap space is $14.642 million, dropping to $9.058 million after the draft class and further down to $58,000 after the practice squad and in-season changes.
In 2024, McCloud split time between the New York Giants (seven games) and the San Francisco 49ers (eight games), recording 25 tackles and one pass defended. Over his career, he has started 16 games and had a career-high 43 tackles with the Giants in 2022.
McCloud’s addition to the Bears brings the number of former Irish players on the team to four, joining long snapper Scott Daly and tight ends Cole Kmet and Durham Smythe. Smythe, who also joined the Bears this offseason, completes a tight end group made up entirely of former Notre Dame players. This connection is especially notable considering that earlier this winter, head coach Marcus Freeman was rumored to be a potential candidate for the Bears’ head coaching position.
The former Notre Dame star, who played one season with the Irish and posted 22 tackles and one interception in the shortened 2020 season, is likely to play a significant role in the Bears’ special teams for the 2025 season.
