The Chicago Bears have signed Jared Allen to a four-year deal worth as much as $32 million.

Allen will receive $15.5 million in guaranteed money and could void after three years and $24 million.

"We're really excited about adding Jared to our football team. We know what his abilities bring to the table," Bears coach Mark Trestman told the team's website. "We believe he's going to come in hungry and excited to be part of our football team, and we believe he'll fit right in."

Allen has 128.5 career sacks, 12th most in NFL history.

Allen had also visited the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys while also considering the idea of retirement.

Devin Hester has agreed to a three-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

Hester was a second round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 2006 and will turn 32 in November.

In 2013, Hester averaged 27.6 yards per kick return and 14.2 yards per punt return with one touchdown. The Falcons averaged 24.4 yards per kick return and 8.3 yards on punt returns.

The Chicago Bears have agreed to a five-year, $35 million deal with Lamarr Houston.

Houston will receive $15 million in guaranteed money.

Houston was the 44th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.

The Chicago Bears are strongly pursuing Lamarr Houston to add to their offensive line.

The Bears are expected to release Julius Peppers if they cannot trade him and they also struck out on Michael Bennett.

Houston was the 44th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2010 out of Texas. Houston had six sacks in 2013.

The Chicago Bears are attempting to trade Julius Peppers.

Peppers is scheduled to earn $13.9 million in salary in 2014.

Peppers recorded 45 tackles and seven sacks in 2013 at the age of 34. Peppers may be released if the Bears are unable to trade him.

The Chicago Bears are unlikely to re-sign Josh McCown.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets are two "realistic options" for McCown.

The Bears have already invested a deal with Jay Cutler that contains $54 million in guarantees.

McCown ranked fifth in yards per attempt (8.2) and third in passer rating (109.0) during a campaign in which he filled in for Cutler.

Soldier Field could be expanded by approximately 5,000 seats.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is exploring the idea as he said that the facility is "fighting below our weight class" in an effort to attract high-profile events.

The Chicago Bears have made no attempt to re-sign Devin Hester.

Hester has been one of the NFL's most dynamic return men since entering the NFL in 2006.

Josh McCown has been a journeyman for his NFL career, but emerged as a valued quarterback at the age of 34 while filling in for Jay Cutler last season with the Chicago Bears.

"I don't know why it came together at this point," McCown told the Chicago Tribune. "Maybe it just took me 12 years to figure it all out. Or maybe I needed Coach (Marc) Trestman and Coach Cav (quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh) and Jay (Cutler) and all these receivers. I don't know. I can't explain all that. All I know is what happened."

McCown is a free agent this offseason.

"It's hard to want to be anywhere else," he said of the Bears. "But the balance of that, too, is our reality. This is probably going to be the last time I stand in free agency with this kind of leverage. So there's an understanding of an opportunity here to gain some more resources both to take care of our family and to do more good with.

"I have to be willing to go somewhere