Ranking the Bears' 4 Best Free Agency Moves So Far

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles didn't go quite as heavy in free agency as he did one year ago, when he swung a massive trade for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney and signed three players to big contracts on the first day. But he was still active, signing several players to smaller deals and even trading for another offensive lineman in the wake of Drew Dalman's shocking retirement.

As a natural consequence, Bears fans were a bit more divided on this year's free agency class than in 2025. But Poles still made some good deals at a great value for the Bears. Here are the four moves that Poles made that should have the biggest impact for the 2026 NFL season, starting with an honorable mention.

Honorable Mention: Garrett Bradbury

Trading a fifth-round pick for one of the worst centers in the NFL isn't usually going to land on a list of top free agency moves, but context is important. Dalman's sudden retirement threw Chicago's offseason plans into a lurch, and Poles had to pivot quickly. I would have preferred to see Poles pony up the extra cash to sign Tyler Linderbaum, but I can see how his historic contract would scare off most NFL general managers.

Poles likely knew that Linderbaum's market would reach absurd levels, and so he got out ahead of that with a low-cost trade for a safety net center. However, Bears fans better hope that Poles' next move is to draft a center who can beat Bradbury for the starting job in training camp.

Garrett Bradbur — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

4. Kalif Raymond

After trading receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills and seeing Olamide Zaccheaus sign with the Atlanta Falcons, the Bears needed to beef up their receiver room with a veteran presence. Raymond is a nine-year veteran and already has three years of experience with Ben Johnson. He's a natural fit as Chicago's third wide receiver, and has the chops to be a top punt returner, too. Raymond averaged 10.5 yards per punt return over the last two years, and he returned two for touchdowns. Signing him to a one-year, $5.1 million deal was a great value move for the Bears.

3. Devin Bush

The Bears' Devin Bush signing may have gotten a 'Very Good' grade from PFF, but I'm not quite as high on this move. Yes, he was talented enough in college to be the 10th overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft, and yes, he had a breakout year in 2025 with the Cleveland Browns. But betting on a breakout year after several seasons of futility rarely goes well.

The good news for the Bears is that this contract was only $30 million over three years, so if Bush does regress, it won't be a salary cap killer. However, if he continues his pace from last season, it will be one of the biggest value deals in the NFL.

2. Braxton Jones

Even though there may have been one or two better left tackle options in free agency this year, I really liked this move. Re-signing Braxton Jones to a $5 million contract (with a max value of $10 million) has more value to the team than shelling out big money on an older veteran. Jones has already been in Chicago for four years, and he's familiar with Ben Johnson's offense and the rest of the team.

Remember, Jones finished his 2024 season with a 77.4 PFF grade, which was the 20th-best score for all offensive tackles that season. When healthy, he's an above-average player, and the Bears only need him to put up one more strong season before they hope to turn back to Ozzy Trapilo.

1. Coby Bryant

It hurt to see both Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker sign with new teams, but landing Super Bowl champion Coby Bryant on a $40 million deal for three years was a great move. He can play the same role that Byard did, but also brings more speed to the field, and is still young enough to be a fixture of the Bears' defense for years to come. It's such a good signing that I really don't have anything to say about it except a hearty 'well done' for Ryan Poles.

Honorable Mention: Garrett Bradbury

4. Kalif Raymond

3. Devin Bush

2. Braxton Jones

1. Coby Bryant

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