Chicago Bears sign veterans Case Keenum, Providence Catholic alum Miles Boykin and Shaun Wade

The Chicago Bears signed veteran quarterback Case Keenum, veteran wide receiver Miles Boykin and veteran cornerback Shaun Wade to one-year contracts Thursday.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles added a veteran presence in the quarterback room for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. Keenum has spent 11 seasons in the NFL, starting 66 games and appearing in 80 for seven teams. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the Keenum signing.

He played the past two seasons with the Houston Texans, who originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Keenum started two games for the Texans in 2023, throwing for 291 yards and a touchdown. He missed all of last season with a foot injury.

Keenum will provide veteran leadership for a young quarterback room. Williams and Austin Reed both enter their second offseason in the NFL, while backup Tyson Bagent will play in his third season.

Boykin, a Tinley Park-native and Providence Catholic alumnus, joins the Bears after spending last season on the New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks practice squads. The Baltimore Ravens originally drafted Boykin out of Notre Dame in the third round of the 2019 draft.

He spent three seasons with the Ravens before playing two years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In five seasons, Boykin has started 25 games and played in 73. Boykin mostly appeared as a special teamer in his last season with the Ravens and his two years with the Steelers. He has 498 career receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 38 catches.

Boykin helped the Celtics win a Class 7A state championship in 2014. He caught three passes for 48 yards in the championship game. In 2018, he was named the MVP of the Citrus Bowl while playing for Notre Dame.

Wade has made six starts and appeared in 20 games in three seasons with New England. Baltimore originally drafted Wade in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of Ohio State before trading him to the Patriots before the season began. He spent last season on the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad.

Wade played 14 games in 2023 and started in six games for the Patriots. During that season, he made 23 tackles.