Chicago Bears re-sign special teams ace Josh Blackwell to 2-year contract

The Chicago Bears signed one of their top special teams weapons to a new contract Thursday. The Bears announced that Josh Blackwell will return to the team on a new two-year contract.

Blackwell, 25, spent the past three seasons with the Bears and was a restricted free agent. That meant the Bears had the right to match any offer coming from another team.

The cornerback out of Duke went undrafted in 2022 and originally signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. When the Eagles cut Blackwell following training camp 2022, the Bears claimed him off waivers and he immediately found a spot on their special teams units.

Blackwell, who measures in at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, is a speedy football player who has served as the gunner on punt coverage and in various other special teams roles. He returned seven punts last season after primary punt return man DeAndre Carter went down with an injury in December.

Additionally, he serves as a backup cornerback for the defense. He even recorded one interception last season in a Week 6 win over Jacksonville. Over three seasons in Chicago, Blackwell has appeared in 43 games. In 2024, he was on the field for 65% of the Bears' special teams snaps.

He had his biggest moment in Week 18 when he and receiver DJ Moore executed a perfect fake on a punt return. Moore pretended as if he were going to catch the punt on one side of the field, fooling the entire Packers punt coverage unit. Meanwhile, Blackwell caught the ball along the far sideline and waltzed his way to an easy 94-yard punt return touchdown. The Bears wound up winning the game and snapping a 10-game losing streak against Green Bay.

New Bears head coach Ben Johnson elected to retain special teams coordinator Richard Hightower from Matt Eberflus' staff. Hightower has been a big proponent of Blackwell’s abilities over the past three years.

Hightower, no doubt, will love that Blackwell is returning in 2025.