Logging and Grading Bears 2024 Moves
Listing and grading everything Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles has done in free agency, whether it's signing players, trading players, releasing them or giving them contract extensions.
Trades
QB Justin Fields
If it was January 8 and the Bears were cleaning out their lockers, and you were told they would get a conditional sixth-round draft pick for trading Fields, wouldn't you have needed to be sitting down so you didn't hurt yourself falling after you passed out? It's easy to say now that the marketplace dictated a low return on Fields, but you have to wonder if they would have had a much better return had they simply dealt him to the first team that came sniffing around at the Senior Bowl. All that doing "right by" Fields and talking about this did was contribute to a downward market trend. Teams knew the Bears were going to part ways with him, so why make a bigger offer when he could be cut? Fields didn't get the job done in Chicago even though he gave great effort and the Bears didn't get enough in return because effort is worth more than a conditional sixth-round pick. The only positive out of all this is how they acted in Fields' best interest. It helped him, and showed they care, but it doesn't show they care about getting better draft picks to build a winning team. Grade: D-
WR Keenan Allen
The Bears needed a receiver to complement DJ Moore and presumably to give Caleb Williams to veterans who can get open. They needed a taller pass catcher who could go vertical but also someone who could even line up in the slot. Allen gives them exactly this. The only drawback is his age but Allen had a career-high in catches and yards last year. Giving up only a fourth-round pick to get him is a steal. The fact he is on the final year of his contract made this possible and it also makes it possible for the Bears to restructure the deal to give themselve some relief this year if they desire. The Chargers faced possibly cutting Allen but the Bears were wise to step in and make the trade because there would have been plenty of competition for a six-time Pro Bowl receiver. And with prices sky high in the receiver market, a bidding war with some other team for a receiver who has an $18.1 million salary isn't desirable. Grade: A+
C Ryan Bates
A fifth-round draft pick to Buffalo for C/G Ryan Bates, who has a cap cost of $8.35 million over the next two seasons. This was a player Poles targeted in the past but couldn't get. He started in 2022 and was a backup last year. So the fact Poles wanted Bates definitely enters into this. Bates was behind Mitch Morse, who was then cut by the Bills and signed for $10.5 million over two years in Jacksonville. That means nothing as far as Bates and the Bears because the Bills were cutting Morse to save cap space and also because he's going to be 32 years old in May. Bates is only 27 and there's no guarantee the Bills would have cut him. In fact, they might have kept him as backup because $8.35 million over two years on the offensive line for a veteran who they know well is a bargain after the cap went up $30 million a year. Backup tackle Larry Borom is making $3.1 million this year so the amount Bates makes is in line with a well-paid reserve and he is an experienced player acquired for a fifth-round pick, which isn't really valuable. See the Drafttek value board for picks. Grade: A+
Free Agent Signings
DT Byron Cowart
This is basically a backstop to the two second-round picks from last year and signed just in case they can't get help in the draft. Cowart is 6-3, 300 and started one season with the Patriots when they were using a four-man front. He has played as a 3-technique and was with Kansas City and Houston for camp battles but did not win a roster spot. He was on the Dolphins practice squad all of 2023 and also played as a reserve for the Colts. Grade: D
DE Jacob Martin
A Texans edge rusher for three years and Colts edge last year, Martin has 15 career starts, 14 of them in the 2021 season with Houston. Martin is undersized for the Bears scheme at 242 pounds. Most of the defensive ends they draft are 250 to 275. He signed for one year. Getting a journeyman defensive end might be fine for a team who needs a camp body but the Bears are down two defensive ends after Yannick Ngakoue and Rasheem Green became free agents, and even with those two their edge rush needed to be upgraded to complement the rush from Montez Sweat. Grade: D
T Jack Curhan
The Bears offensive line depth became more of a strength with the signing of Curhan, the former Seattle backup tackle. Curhan is 26, 6-foot-5, 316 pounds and has played guard at times, although only 90 of his 713 plays have come there. He has been at right tackle for 633 plays and an extra blocking tackle/tight end 10 times. He and Matt Pryor will challenge Larry Borom's roster spot. Curhan has a long way to go to improve as a pass blocker according Pro Football Focus grades. On their grading system, he never hit 40.0 for a grade as a pass blocker in either season when he had signifcant playing time. He has played in 29 games in three seasons, starting nine. Last year he started the final five games and showed significant improvement as a run blocker. The one resounding positive is he is familiar with the Shane Waldron offense. Grade: C
C Coleman Shelton
They set up a center competition of sorts with Ryan Bates by signing the former Rams starter, although Shelton has a great deal more center experience. Shelton signed a one-year deal. He's not going to alleviate concerns about their pass blocking in the middle of the line after getting graded 28th among 36 NFL centers by Pro Football Focus at this but he is regarded as a strong run blocker and was 12th in run blocking last year. Shelton signed a two-year deal. Grade: B-
S Jonathan Owens
A backup player at two years and $4.5 million total. They needed depth at safety last year when Jackson went out for an extended period for the second straight year, and had to rely on 2022 seventh-round pick Elijah Hicks. He performed nobly but was overmatched for his experience and talent level. Getting someone in who has been a starter at times helps. He also helps with special teams as the Packers' second-leading special teams tackler last year. The Bears signing Byard and Owens for $10 million a year combined makes them look like they're willing to accept less or are cheap when the Packers were willing to sign Xavier McKinney for four years and $68 million. The fact Owens is married to Simone Biles doesn't hurt this grade, either. Grade: B-
QB Brett Rypien
They chose from among a massive number of quarterbacks who have never played much but made it into free agency. Rypien is a borderline practice squad player who was claimed by the Seahawks off of one last year. He's barely played and his only edge over Tyson Bagent in the backup QB batttle is that he has been in the league four years but has thrown only 25 more passes than Bagent, who is going into his second year. Grade: C-
T Matt Pryor
Pryor was with the 49ers and Eagles, so being a backup with successful teams and facing good defenses in practice and training camp has been a plus for his development. He hasn't played extensively but has shown true position versatility and that's what is needed from a guard/tackle swing man. He has 1,085 plays at tackle and 808 at guard. The other positive is he's familiar with Matt Eberflus from a year playing in Indianapolis when the Bears coach was defensive coordinator there. At 6-7, 332, he's definitely a big guy to get around and will challenge Larry Borom, who was a draft pick by the previous GM. Grade: C+
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga
A fourth-year player who was not tendered an offer as a restricted free agent by the Chargers. He was signed by the Bears after three seasons as a special teams and depth player on defense. He has decent speed, running a 4.66-second 40-yard dash. The Bears signed him for one year and $2.1 million. He'll be challenged to make the roster. Grade: C-
S Kevin Byard
Actually a signing before free agency, Byard can play Eddie Jackson's position and has been better at tackling throughout his career than the former Bears Pro Bowl player. He made more than 100 tackles in four of the last five seasons. He has 13 more interceptions than Jackson even though he has played only one more year. Last year Byard had only one interception and his passer rating against rose, but it's never easy being traded at midseason like he was. On the other hand, the Eagles needed a safety and chose not to bring him back. Also, the safety market was completely overloaded with talent and if they had not signed Byard, it's entirely possible they would have been able to sign him for even cheaper a bit later than the $15 million for two years he's getting. But $15 million for two years for a player so experienced and productive is chump change. Grade: B+
TE Gerald Everett
Having played in the offensive system of new Bears coordinator Shane Waldron is a big plus. He's more of a move-tight end than Cole Kmet, so his fit in the attack is ideal and necessary. Everett is 6-3, 250, so he's the size of a tight end who can be in the move spot but also block if needed. He's not known as an exceptional blocker. At 29, he has a few years left so two years and $12 million sounds fine. Everett doesn't need to be a featured tight end to succeed. But he increased his total number of catches made each season from 2018 to 2022. Last year he had 51 receptions. Another third-down or red-zone target. Grade: A-
RB D'Andre Swift
Signing Swift for three years and $24 million is a net win as it provides a back with great (4.42 seconds) speed in the 40 and also decent power to run through tackles, to go with some nifty open-field moves. Swift also is an all-purpose back like they needed. The thing is, he wasn't one of the top three or four best backs available, a type of player who transforms an offense. If he was, Detroit wouldn't have let him leave and neither would the Eagles. Grade: B-.
WR Dante Pettis
They apparently still view him as a potential return man and receiving contributor after a neck injury in a preseason game wiped out his 2023 season. So he was signed for one year, terms not yet available. Pettis was more sure-handed returning punts than either Velus Jones Jr. or Trent Taylor and caught 19 passes in 2022. At the very least, he'll make Jones work for his roster spot and might be a better option than as a fourth wide receiver on game day than anyone on the roster other than Tyler Scott, Keenan Allen and DJ Moore. Grade C+
Free Agent Losses
WR Darnell Mooney
The Falcons paid $13 million a year for Mooney coming out of two bad seasons, which says something for how they value his skill level. He could very well rebound now with Kirk Cousins throwing to him in an offense with Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson as receiving threats. The Bears did try to get him back last year and considering how far his game fell off, their offer of a reported $10 million a year doesn't seem like they were low-balling him. Mooney bet on himself, won and the Bears can't feel bad about their effort last year to keep him. Their grade would look much better if they had a player already in line to replace him. Grade: C
DT Justin Jones
Jones doesn't get much respect from Pro Football Focus in terms of grades but he put up career highs in sacks (4 1/2), pressures (22) and QB hits (17). He had 10 tackles for loss, two less that the previous year but he had better tacklers around him to get the job done before he got there. The Bears can't be seriously thinking about starting Gervon Dexter in his position. They're coming off a year when they ranked first against the run with Jones and nose tackle Andrew Billings combining to shut off the middle, but Dexter was graded 118th of 130 interior defensive linemen against the run by PFF. If they signed someone like Arik Armstead or traded for a 3-technique, they could make up for this loss but at the moment it looks like a catastrophe to lose Jones without a suitable replacement. Grade: D+
QB Nathan Peterman
They probably hadn't planned on signing him back but he signed with the Saints after two years and a poor passer rating in brief Chicago appearances. He was more of a backstop last year because they couldn't be certain about rookie Tyson Bagent, who performed well considering he had been a Division II player who was undrafted. Peterman's deal was reportedly a minimum $1.21 million. Grade: A
Contract Extensions
CB Jaylon Johnson
Considering they had tagged him at $19.8 milion for next year, that Johnson made noise about getting more money than any cornerback and the salary cap only figures to go up over the next four years, this was a bargain for Ryan Poles. He gets back an All-Pro at a bargain, a player who is a favorite with teammates and even media. Grade: A+
Long Snapper Patrick Scales
A rubber stamp move. Scales isn't one of the highest paid long snappers but gets the job done at $1.375 million. He's tied for eighth-highest paid based on average annual pay. At 36, they would probably benefit from getting younger but no one will complain about his snaps. Grade: B
Roster Cuts
S Eddie Jackson
Considering he was going to be top two in cap cost this year, it was an easy move to make. Jackson's inefficient tackling made it even easier. He's always been a good ballhawk and will no doubt wind up somewhere again, but not at $17.1 million in cap cost. Jackson's passer rating against when targeted had climbed back up where it was before he rebounded in 2022. Grade: B+
G/C Cody Whitehair
Whitehair is 31 and was benched last year. he was coming in at a cap cost of $14.1 million for 2024. This was a no-brainer. Grade: A
T Roy Mbaeteka
The Bears released the former NFL International Player Pathway Program player, a 6-foot-8, 331-pound tackle who never got into a game last year. He had been with the Giants prior to this. He was released by the Bears when they signed tackle Jake Curhan. Mbaetkeka wasn't a serious roster contender. The Bears should avoid participating in sideshow programs of this sort until they can actually say they are making enough progress to give fans hope they might be a winning team. It should be their only goal considering how much they have let down fans. Grade: A+
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