Bears trade LB Jon Bostic to New England Patriots

The Bears are open for business. Hours after trading Jared Allen to the Carolina Panthers, the Bears reached a deal with the New England Patriots for linebacker Jon Bostic on Monday night.

Like Allen, the Bears are getting a sixth-round pick in return for Bostic, according to ESPN. The deal is pending a physical, which will happen on Tuesday.

Trading Bostic is just another move away from former general manager Phil Emery’s work at Halas Hall. Bostic was the 50th overall pick in the 2013 draft and had started 17 games over his first two seasons.

Bostic has struggled to stay healthy in his brief time with the Bears. He missed the first three games of this season with a high-ankle sprain, a source said. But Bostic was planning on being more active this week. He suffered his high-ankle sprain in the preseason.

It didn’t help his cause with the Bears as Shea McClellin and Christian Jones cemented themselves as the starters at inside linebacker. Undrafted rookie John Timu also earned a roster spot.

Bostic also was hindered by a back, hip and shin issues this offseason. It kept him out of coach John Fox’s first offseason program and parts of training camp.