Bear Digest

Two urgent lines forming for Ryan Poles in Bears free agency

A couple of decisions on Bears free agents will be made soon but the really important ones are for those who could get contract extensions from now until March 2026.
Gene Chamberlain|
Kyler Gordon celebrates a fumble recovery against Seattle during the Bears' 6-3 loss at Soldier Field in December.
Kyler Gordon celebrates a fumble recovery against Seattle during the Bears' 6-3 loss at Soldier Field in December. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Bears coach Ben Johnson may have put GM Ryan Poles at a bit of a disadvantage already for free agency negotiations.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen may have, as well.

The Bears coaches already offered up high praise for two players in line to receive contract extensions well in advance of any deadline. 

One of those players was slot cornerback Kyler Gordon.

"Secondary wise, I think Gordon's a phenomenal nickel," Johnson said.

Allen did little to downplay Gordon's importance.

"Kyler Gordon, is an outstanding nickel player," he said. "I have a vision for how we can utilize him."

The other was injured defensive tackle Andrew Billings, whose healing pectoral injury should allow him to participate at some point in offseason work, according to what Poles said.

Johnson saw the Bears defense twice without Billings after his injury.

"This year what was a little different than 2023 was Billings being out," Johnson said. "Him being out, we could feel that when we played Chicago."

Billings' impact was palpable, as former Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai liked to say.

These two players are in a different line of free agents than those whose fate must be addressed before the March 12 deadline.

"We have a couple guys that definitely will be up for some type of extension this offseason," Poles said.

What isn't clear is whether Poles was talking about these two or maybe the two main players in this free agency. The value of those they need to slot money for this year to extend before 2026 is undeniable.

Billings and Gordon are in the 2026 free agent line and not the line forming for March, but this is how the GM needs to approach this and any free agency. It is basically a two-year situation for planning out the cap and not one. With a new coaching staff in place, Poles is able to do this as they'll know who Johnson deems a priority.

The main players for retention in a month get addressed immediately, but decisions and planning extenions for players whose contracts still have a year left will rate higher for Poles getting depth pieces signed for 2025 at a veteran's minimum NFL wage.

Gordon and Billings are vital parts of the Bears defense and will be for the 2025 season regardless. The Bears would like to know both are locked up beyond 2025.

There is a third free agent for 2026 not specifically mentioned, but no one would question if linebacker T.J. Edwards deserves an extension at some point this season to keep him out of 2026 free agency. In two seasons, his tackles totals and overall disruption have made his three-year, $19.5 million Bears deal look like a steal.

The same is true for Billings, who just received a two-year Bears extension after the 2023 trade deadline for $8.5 million. That money seems a pittance considering how the Bears looked without Billings this season.

They led the league in run defense in 2023 and were fourth against the run in 2024 after the Hail Mary pass loss to Washington, but Billings suffered his injury the next week against Arizona. The Bears were trampled for 213 yards rushing in that game, the key play being a 53-yard touchdown run allowed just before halftime when Billings was off the field while a pass rushing personnel package was on.

They allowed 114 yards or more rushing in eight of the next nine games and finished 28th against the run at 2,317 rushing yards allowed, a yard worse than the Giants.

This alone gives Billings plenty of fuel for the negotiating fire when they do an extension.

The potential Gordon extension doesn't have the same dramatic statistical support but his pure athleticism and ability for disruption seem obvious every game.

Even without a dominant pass rush, the Bears' third-down pass defense remained among the league's best. They were still seventh before facing Seattle on Dec. 26 but dropped off to 12th by season's end.

And for whatever Pro Football Focus grades are worth, Gordon was rated 13th among all cornerbacks, slot or otherwise, and only two spots behind Bears Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Losing a good slot cornerback in an era when that position is on the field for two-thirds of plays is not advisable. The dominant Bears defense of 2018 was never the same defending third downs after allowing slot cornerback Bryce Callahan to leave for Denver, but they really couldn't keep him because GM Ryan Pace had mismanaged the salary cap.

With the big decisions looming on those two 2026 free agents, the Edwards extension ahead, as well as how they approach Jaquan Brisker's contract extension for the same year, the future of their defense could well be decided with the cash they set aside now for extensions during this spring, summer or the regular season in order to avoid those key players leaving in the future.

The free agent market that begins with March 10 legal tampering looks simple for the Bears by comparison, with Keenan Allen and Teven Jenkins as the only really big questions. Both of those have negatives weighing down the players, Jenkins his injury history and Allen his age and whether he fits with Johnson's offense.

There's more time to negotiate the extensions for players in one line, but to keep them from becoming a problem like the loss of Jenkins could be, they need to get those extrensions done as soon as possible.

Bears Unrestricted Free Agents

After March 12

WR Keenan Allen

DE Darrell Taylor

C Coleman Shelton

LB Amen Ogbongbemiga

G Teven Jenkins

RB Travis Homer

TE Marcedes Lewis

LS Patrick Scales

DE Jake Martin 

WR DeAndre Carter 

G Matt Pryor

S Tarvarius Moore

March, 2026

CB Kyler Gordon

DT Andrew Billings

S Kevin Byard

DE Demarcus Walker

LB T.J. Edwards

S Jaquan Brisker

T Braxton Jones

S Elijah Hicks

TE Gerald Everett

G Ryan Bates

DE Dominique Robinson

S Jonathan Owens

T Joshua Miles

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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.