Tracy Porter signs with Bears

CHICAGO -- The Bears signed veteran cornerback Tracy Porter to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday.

Porter appeared in just three games with one start last year for the Washington Redskins before being placed on injured reserve with an AC joint separation in his right shoulder.

A seven-year NFL veteran, Porter played a key role in Super Bowl XLIV for the New Orleans Saintsas hereturned a fourth-quarter Peyton Manning interception 74 yards for a touchdown.

Over his career, Porter started 60 games during stops in New Orleans (2008-11), Denver (2012), Oakland (2013) and Washington (2014), registering 288 tackles, 10 interceptions, 52 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Porter played under current Bears coach John Fox in Denver, and he spent time with general manager Ryan Pace in New Orleans.

"It's a blessing first and foremost to continue my NFL career," Porter told ChicagoBears.com. "I just felt like it was the right situation, the right place for me. To have a familiarity with coach Fox and to know Ryan Pace and a lot of those guys in the front office and a couple of coaches on the staff and to be familiar with the playbook, that had a lot to [do with it]. It was just the right fit."

The 28-year-old Porter, who can handle the nickelback position if necessary, gives the Bears another experienced member for their secondary.

After 2014 first-round pick Kyle Fuller and veteran Tim Jennings, the Bears have question marks further down the cornerback depth chart. Sherrick McManis has played well in the voluntary offseason program, but his primary NFL contributions have occurred on special teams, where he finished second on the team with 13 tackles last year. The Bears also signed former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Alan Ball in the offseason, but he has been unavailable for much of the offseason program.