Bears will sign Ray McDonald
— -- The Chicago Bears have reached agreement on a one-year contract with free-agent defensive end Ray McDonald, the team said Tuesday.
Terms of the agreement, which is pending McDonald passing a physical exam, are not yet known.
McDonald was released by the San Francisco 49ers in December after law enforcement officials in San Jose, California, said he was under investigation on suspicion of sexual assault. McDonald hasn't been charged in that case, which remains open.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace told reporters at the owners meetings in Arizona that, because there were character issues with McDonald to consider, Bears chairman George McCaskey weighed in on the decision before the team went through with the move.
McDonald paid for his own ticket to travel to Chicago and met with McCaskey for two hours, Pace said. George McCaskey also consulted with Virginia McCaskey and received her blessing before signing off on McDonald's addition.
Pace said he also placed a phone call to McDonald's parents to discuss their son before he was comfortable with the move.
When contacted by ESPN.com on Tuesday, the NFL said that McDonald's case is "under review" for possible discipline.
San Francisco cited a "pattern of poor decision-making" at the time it "terminated" McDonald.
McDonald also was implicated in a domestic abuse case involving his fiancee last August. It was announced on Nov. 10 that he would not face charges in that case. The 49ers stood by him at that time.
McDonald has sued the woman who has accused him of assaulting her.
"I feel like what I am doing is the right thing because I know that I am not this bad person that people are making me out to be," McDonald told ESPN last week. "I've been fired from my job. I know some teams don't even want to talk to me because of this past accusation. All I am trying to do is clear my name and move on with my life."
In Chicago, McDonald will be reunited with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who was ousted by the 49ers in the offseason and later landed with the Bears.
ESPN.com Bears reporter Michael C. Wright contributed to this report.
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