Bears sign WR Riley Ridley, RB Kerrith Whyte, CB Stephen Denmark to rookie deals

The Bears signed more than half their draft class Monday afternoon. Wide receiver Riley Ridley, running back Kerrith Whyte and cornerback Stephen Denmark will each receive standard four-year deals.

Ridley, the former Georgia receiver taken in the fourth round, will make about $3.08 million, the amount given to last year’s No. 126 overall pick, Falcons running back Ito Smith. Based on last year’s contracts, seventh-round draft picks Whyte and Denmark will receive deals worth about $2.56 million and 2.54 million, respectively.

The Bears have two draft picks that remain unsigned: running back David Montgomery, a third-round pick, and cornerback Duke Shelley, a sixth-rounder.

The team’s contract negotiations figure to be less stressful than last offseason, when first-round draft pick Roquan Smith did not report to training camp while his agent dickered with the Bears over contract language.