Grading the Bears’ initial free agency moves
The Chicago Bears were quite busy through the first week of free agency, where they landed some impact starters and key depth pieces as general manager Ryan Poles retools the roster.
Chicago signed linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, defensive linemen DeMarcus Walker and Andrew Billings, as well as guard Nate Davis and running back D’Onta Foreman. But there’s still plenty of work to do with the second and third waves of free agency on the horizon.
We graded each move by Chicago during the first week of free agency.
Bears trade No. 1 pick, acquire WR DJ Moore
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Trade details:
Bears acquire: Nos. 9, 61 in 2023, 2024 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick, WR DJ Moore
Panthers acquire: No. 1 pick in 2023
Had the Bears simply gotten the picks for the No. 1 spot in the draft, the deal would still grade out a solid A. They would have gotten what was expected and have the chance to find impact players via the draft alone. But the move for Moore bumps this up to an A+. He’s a proven commodity and worth the Bears getting a 2025 second-round pick instead of a first. This is huge for the future of this franchise.
Grade: A+
Bears sign LB T.J. Edwards
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Contract: 3 years, $19.5 million ($7.9 million guaranteed)
The Bears made a savvy move right out of the gate, inking Edwards for just over $12 million guaranteed and an average of $6.5 million per year. That’s a great deal for a linebacker of Edwards’ ilk. According to OverTheCap.com, that puts him at 17th among off-ball linebackers. That’s a steal for what he provides, especially considering he signed the first day of free agency when players normally get overpaid. He’s improved in every season he’s played, not only when it comes to tackles and tackles for loss, but with making plays on the ball. … There’s a good chance we look at Edwards’ deal as one of the best free agent signings of general manager Ryan Poles’ career.
Grade: A
Bears sign LB Tremaine Edmunds
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Contract: 4 years, $72 million ($50 million guaranteed)
The Bears were unwilling to pay Roquan Smith $100 million and guarantee his $20 million. Part of that was due to how Eberflus viewed him and what he brought to the table. He’s looking for long and athletic players who can fly around the field and make plays on the football. That’s Edmunds and he’s still ascending as a professional. He has all the physical tools to play the middle linebacker position in Chicago at a high level. He just needs to do it consistently, which was an issue at times earlier in his career. The only knock that’s keeping this signing below an A is that the Bears doubled down at the linebacker position after just agreeing to a modest deal with Edwards.
Grade: B+
Bears sign OG Nate Davis
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Contract: 3 years, $30 million ($19.25 million guaranteed)
As a player, Davis excels in the run game, which is validated by the success Henry has had with the Titans over the last four seasons. He’s quick off the line and seeks out contact to open up running lanes. But his pass blocking has improved the longer he’s been in the league. According to Brad Spielberger of PFF, Davis had a 66.8 pass blocking grade, the highest of his career. That will need to continue trending upward seeing as quarterback Justin Fields was sacked 55 times last season.
Grade: B
Bears sign DL DeMarcus Walker
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Contract: 3 years, $21 million ($15.65 million guaranteed)
Make no mistake, this isn’t a bad move for the Bears. They only had 20 sacks as a team last year with just two defensive linemen eclipsing three or more (Trevis Gipson and Justin Jones). They needed someone who has shown they can take down the quarterback. His versatility is also a plus as he is able to line up outside or inside, creating potential mismatches on the line. To top it off, his contract is very feasible at just $7 million per year with $16 million guaranteed. But if he falls back to earth and it means the Bears missed out on a better option, that’s going to be a problem.
Grade: B
Bears sign RB Travis Homer
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Contract: 2 years, $4 million ($1.75 million guaranteed)
Homer has been a reliable third-down back when it comes to pass protection and it’s an area the Bears desperately need to upgrade. While Herbert is a superb runner, his blocking skills leave a lot to be desired. Homer is someone who can be a threat to catch passes while also keeping Justin Fields upright. The quarterback was sacked 55 times in 2022, tied for the league lead with the Denver Broncos’ Russell Wilson. Homer is not a big name on a big move, but it could be an important one given the Bears’ pass protection woes.
Grade: B
Bears sign QB PJ Walker
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Contract: 2 years, $4.15 million ($2.01 million guaranteed)
When the Bears signed Siemian to be their backup last offseason, it provided a stable presence at the position but it was obvious from the start that he and Fields didn’t match up from a skillset standpoint. That’s all changed with Walker supplanting Siemian and signing to be the new backup to Fields. Walker has a pretty big arm, can extend plays with his legs, and can make something out of nothing if needed. He’s the perfect understudy to Fields and can run the offense with minimal changes needed. That wasn’t the case with Siemian and other backup quarterbacks Nathan Peterman and Tim Boyle in 2022.
Grade: A
Bears sign DT Andrew Billings
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Contract: 1 year, $3.5 million ($2.4 million guaranteed)
The Bears found themselves a run-stuffing defensive tackle at the age of 27 for pennies on the dollar. Getting just $2.4 million guaranteed, Billings comes as a value player who should immediately improve the team’s run defense, which was the second-worst group in the league last season. He’s not tall for a defensive tackle, coming in at only 6-foot-1, but weighs 311 pounds and can swallow up interior offensive linemen to stop rushing attacks.
Grade: A-
Bears sign TE Robert Tonyan
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Contract: 1 year, $2.65 million ($1.25 million guaranteed)
This is a smart signing for the Bears. Tonyan isn’t being asked to be the top tight end and can create mismatches, especially with him and Kmet on the field at the same time. He has tremendous hands, catching 79% of his targets in 2022 which provides Fields another trustworthy receiver on passing downs. The biggest downside with Toynan has to do with his blocking. He’s not great in either run or pass blocking which could leave the Bears vulnerable on certain running plays if he’s on the field.
Grade: B
Bears sign RB D'Onta Foreman
Grant Halverson/Getty Images
Contract: 1 year, $3 million
In essence, Foreman showed he can be a similar player to David Montgomery with better vision and for half the price. Foreman is set to earn $3 million while Montgomery inked a three-year deal with the Detroit Lions that will pay him $6 million per year on average. The fact Foreman is still only 26 years old and has just 443 career rushing attempts with plenty of tread left on the tires is a bonus. The only downside of the move is Foreman’s limitations in the passing game. Neither he or Herbert have exceptional skills in that area and it could limit the Bears with how they run their offense.
Grade: A-
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=417188053]
