The Bears have reached agreement on a one-year contract with free agent tight end Jesse James, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports.
James will compete for a job behind Cole Kmet and Jimmy Graham.
The Lions released James on March 11, and he has remained a free agent since.
James appeared in all 32 games for Detroit the past two years after signing as a free agent in 2019. The Lions drafted T.J. Hockenson in the first round the same year, limiting James to 16 catches for 142 yards in his first year with the team and 14 receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns last year for the Lions.
James, 27, spent his first four seasons with the Steelers, making 120 receptions for 1,189 yards and nine touchdowns in 56 games with 36 starts.