Bears sign linebacker Manti Te’o to practice squad

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty ImagesThe Bears have signed linebacker Manti Te’o to their practice squad, the team announced on Tuesday.

Te’o, 29, is an eight-year veteran who first entered the league as a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. A highly regarded prospect out of Notre Dame, Te’o won numerous awards in his 2012 senior season, including being the only defender in the past 25 years to win the Maxwell Award, which is given to the collegiate player of the year. He was also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, finishing second to Johnny Manziel.

Since entering the NFL, Te’o has played for both the Chargers and the Saints, the former team being the organization that drafted him. He…