Bears sign Ridley, Whyte, Denmark to rookie deals, 2 draft picks remain unsigned

The Bears have signed three of their five draft picks to their rookie deals, the team announced on Twitter. Wide receiver Riley Ridley, running back Kerrith Whyte Jr. and defensive back Stephen Denmark each signed their four-year contracts on Monday.

The three rookies’ deals combine for just over $8 million over a four-year span between the three of them, with Ridley making the most of the group with roughly $3 million in that span, as pointed out by Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. The fourth-round receiver from Georgia in particular projects as a cheap, offensive weapon who could end up as a bargain while Chicago re-signs some of their veterans in the next few offseasons.

Of the Bears’ draft picks, only running back David Montgomery and cornerback Duke Shelley have yet to agree upon terms to their contracts. Players generally report to training camp in late July, so there will be a lot of time for them to sign their base rookie contracts.

EDIT: According to Spotrac, the deals are as follows.

Stephen Denmark, 4-year, $2.6 million

Kerrith Whyte, 4-year, $2.62 million

Riley Ridley, 4-year, $3.2 million