Bear Digest

Chicago Bears Free Agency Day 1: What's to Like and Not to Like

The Bears found defensive help they needed but free agency is never that simple and there are ramifications to every signing or non-signing.
Gene Chamberlain|
Tyson Bagent looks for a target during preseason play. If the Cardinals wanted him, they might not now.
Tyson Bagent looks for a target during preseason play. If the Cardinals wanted him, they might not now. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

NFL free agency is like getting through a maze.

Take one turn and it can lead to a dead end or it can lead to another path. Eventually you might get through to the right path.

Former Bears GM Ryan Pace once described it as a matter of having priorities and alternatives in order so you're ready no matter what happens. GM Ryan Poles pursued contracts and free agents agreed to some. In other cases they didn't.

It's difficult to see how any of the acquisitions actually hurt the team. Then again, the Bears had everyone convinced a year ago that they had a signed a gem in Dayo Odeyingbo. How did that work out for them?

Here's what's to like and not to like about Day 1 of Bears free agency.

What's to like

Not pursuing Tyler Linderbaum

At $81 million for three years, the new Raiders center needs to be able to snap the ball to himself and then also throw a touchdown pass. Centers aren't worth putting your team in that kind of salary cap hell.

Letting Dominique Robinson leave

In four years, Robinson had 3 1/2 sacks, 17 pressures and six tackles for loss. He's getting $4 million from Houston, provided he can make the roster.

In one year, Bears edge Austin Booker made 4 1/2 sacks, five tackles for loss and 18 pressures. He'll make $1.1 million next year for the Bears. The Bears just need another edge or two now.

Somehow, there are people in Houston convinced they have a gem in Robinson. Enjoy.

Signing Coby Bryant

At $13.3 million a year, it's the going rate for a top safety but you don't expect to get one this versatile. He'll go into the box to stop the run. He has allowed three touchdown passes the last two seasons with seven interceptions. Kevin Byard had eight interceptions, and he allowed 11 touchdown passes per Pro Football Reference.

Signing Devin Bush

Getting a linebacker ranked so highly the last two years by Pro Football Focus, fourth last year, should take more than $10 million a year. Just think, there were some people who want them to sign Demario Davis, who is 10 years older and got a millon dollars more a year.

Letting Olamide Zaccheaus walk

For $1.5 million last season the Bears got five key dropped passes. Atlanta paid the same amount for next year. They deserve the same output.

What's not to like

Signing Braxton Jones

It wasn't the worst idea to bring him back just for one year while Ozzy Trapilo recovers. However, they jumped right in on Day 1. While he is only getting $5 million with possible incentives to $10 million, they probably should have just waited and perhaps on Day 2 a better option at that rate is available.

This signing has Ryan Poles' pride stamped all over it. Jones was his guy as a real steal at tackle in Round 5 in 2022 and he doesn't want to let him go.

An offensive line of Jones, Thuney, Garrett Bradbury, Jonah Jackson and Darnell Wright seems quite a step down from when they had Ozzy Trapilo at left tackle and Drew Dalman at center.

Signing Neville Gallimore

Maybe it was the fact Gallimore was from Canada and they had standout defensive linemen from Canada like Akiem Hicks and Izzy Idonije in the past, but they rushed right in and signed a guy who made four sacks and 11 tackles for loss combined for his first five seasons in the league. He had 3 1/2 sacks and four tackles for loss last year, so he’s on the up-elevator? Hardly Paying $6 million a year for him is $2.25 more than they paid in any year for Andrew Billings and “Big Bill” actually had one good year and part of another.

For five free agency periods now, everyone has pleaded with Ryan Poles to sign a meaningful defensive line help and the end result has been Billings, Justin Jones, DeMarcus Walker, Odeyingbo and now Gallimore. That's underwhelming. When is the main course?

Put it this way Bears fans: Did you wake up Monday saying "I can't wait for the Bears to sign Neville Gallimore today!"

Loss of leadership

The greatest downside to not signing Kevin Byard back, trading DJ Moore, letting go of Tremaine Edmunds and seeing Drew Dalman retire is the massive amount of veteran leadership going out the Halas Hall door. When they trailed late against the Packers, Bengals, Giants, Raiders, etc., etc., they had plenty of veteran leaders showing the way.

Nothing against Bryant and Bush but they didn't fight through the wars here under Matt Eberflus. They don’t have the time invested in this rebuild like the lost leaders who made the "cardiac Bears" possible.

Not trading Tyson Bagent

Reports during the combine had said the Cardinals were interested in giving up a fourth-round pick.

The answer should have been "done deal." A fourth-round pick for an undrafted, Division II QB who has meaningful playing time in four games, all of them three years ago ... why didn't they just take the deal?

Now, the Cardinals have signed their QB placeholder until they draft one.

They signed Gardner Minshew. An opportunity appears to have been lost.

Not filing suit against the NFL

They'd have a good case of fraud against the league as a result of the Rooney Rule and comp picks, but they should have got on that right away instead of waiting until now.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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