Cornerback Prince Amukamara has signed with the Chicago Bears. Amukamara spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars after spending the first five years of his career with the New York Giants.
Prince Amukamara signs with Bears, per @JordanRaanan.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2017
Prince Amukamara Signs With the Chicago Bears
Amukamara featured in 14 of the Jaguars regular season games last season, missing two weeks with a hamstring injury. During his time in Jacksonville, he failed to record an interception, defending just six passes and recording 46 tackles. The Jaguars tied Amukamara down to a one-year deal, largely to prove that he could stay healthy, and for the most part of last season, he did.
The Massachusetts native attended high school in Arizona before being recruited by the University of Nebraska, where he played for four seasons. Amukamara was announced as starting cornerback in his junior year, before winning the Big 12 Defensive Player of Year award in his senior year. Amukamara finished his collegiate career with five interceptions, 161 tackles, 15 passes defended and four sacks.
The New York Giants drafted Amukamara 19th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He then went on to win the Super Bowl in his rookie season with the Giants, despite playing largely as a depth player. The following season, Amukamara was promoted to starting cornerback, where he has spent the majority of his career since.
Over the course of his impressive tenure, Amukamara has recorded seven interceptions, 51 passes defended and 271 tackles. The fact that Amukamara proved his fitness in Jacksonville, is likely what made him a far more attractive free agency target for teams. Improved fitness should allow Amukamara to reach his full potential and at the age of just 27, he still has plenty of time to do so. With his injury woes seemingly behind him, Amukamara has all the necessary tools to develop into a Pro Bowl cornerback in the league.
