GM Ryan Poles scored a huge victory for the Chicago Bears when he reached an agreement with cornerback Jaylon Johnson on a new contract extension. The reigning All-Pro will stay put for another four years at around $19 million per season. Along with Montez Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds, the defense seems to have its three cornerstones in place for the immediate future. Poles is now free to focus on free agency. The legal tampering period is five days away. Lots of people expect the Bears to be active. Even after Johnson's deal, they project to have around $45-50 million in cap space. Maybe they plan to take a big swing.
While he didn't rule out the possibility, team insider Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune isn't getting those vibes from Halas Hall. He explained in his latest column that it feels more like Poles will avoid an aggressive move when the market opens, opting instead to hunt for bargains.
"My guess is the biggest contract the Bears will write in the next couple of months is for cornerback Jaylon Johnson. This should count as money spent in free agency, too, because while Johnson isn’t coming from another team, the Bears would be spending that money to prevent him from leaving via free agency.
Poles will be calculated in free agency, but my sense is they’re not chasing any of the guys who will command huge paydays. Maybe I’m wrong, but the timing for that doesn’t seem right if they’re going to draft and start a rookie quarterback."
This isn't a surprise. Poles has often said his goal is to avoid leaning on free agency, opting to build through the draft. This is the best way to attain long-term success. Besides, the Bears GM has already proven he can find hidden gems with this approach. See T.J. Edwards and Andrew Billings.
The Chicago Bears' path forward is clear.
If they want to build through the draft, they need more picks. After the trade for veteran offensive lineman Ryan Bates, they are down to only five. Poles will have to do some wheeling and dealing to get that number up. One presumes the eventual Justin Fields trade will contribute to that plan. There is also a realistic possibility they trade down from the #9 pick after securing their quarterback of choice at #1. Time will tell on that. As for free agency, it might be time to adjust the list of names to look at.
Most experts agree the Chicago Bears have pressing needs at quarterback, wide receiver, center, edge rusher, and safety. The #1 pick will handle quarterback and Bates appears to be the early favorite at center. That leaves receiver, edge rusher, and safety. Here are some names to watch at each position and the likely money they will command.
Wide receiver:
- Curtis Samuel - $8.5 million per year
- Tyler Boyd - $8.25 million per year
- K.J. Osborn - $4.25 million per year
Edge rusher:
- Dorance Armstrong - $8.5 million per year
- A.J. Epenesa - $6.75 million per year
- Marcus Davenport - $5 million per year
Safety:
- Julian Blackmon - $5.75 million per year
- Darnell Savage - $5 million per year
- Jordan Fuller - $4.63 million per year
While the list might be short on stars, the Bears will have quality options available to them. It comes down to who they will prioritize.
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