The Chicago Bears have made moves this offseason, but there’s an argument to be made that those changes haven’t made the team better.
Unlike last offseason, the Bears glaring needs are much more than just kicker. From quarterback to offensive line to tight end to defensive back, general manager Ryan Pace certainly had his work cut out for him.
Chicago added pass rusher Robert Quinn, quarterback Nick Foles and tight end Jimmy Graham, among others, but not all of the Bears’ additions have been met with praise. They’ve also lost some key veterans, including inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and defensive tackle Nick Williams.
Bleacher Report believes the Bears have had the NFL’s worst offseason, noting Pace placing his faith in aging veterans and the ever-lingering quarterback concern.
The Chicago Bears epitomize how poor timing can wreck an offseason and make their moves look far worse in retrospect.
Even without that added caveat, general manager Ryan Pace’s plan looked suspect from the start since he invested heavily in aging veterans.
When both factors are taken into consideration, the Bears simply failed at the start of the new league year and had the offseason’s worst overall effort.
Chicago’s execution relied far too heavily on players with significant question marks, while better or comparable alternatives are/were available.
Bleacher Report continues noting that it all starts with the handling of the quarterback position. Bringing in Nick Foles to compete with Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job makes a lot of sense. If Trubisky wins the job, then Foles is a solid backup. If Foles wins the job, he knows how to operate Matt Nagy’s offense and it should be a seamless transition.
But, ultimately, the Bears failed to significantly improve the position, something that has been the franchise’s downfall for decades.
Another position that the Bears addressed in free agency, but perhaps not for the better, was the acquisition of aging tight end Jimmy Graham. The Bears paid Graham $16 million for two years — including $9 million guaranteed — to be the solution for their struggling tight end group.
Only, Graham certainly isn’t the savior for a group that was collectively the worst in the NFL last season.
Then there are the continued needs at offensive guard, cornerback and safety. The Bears have a vacancy at right guard following Kyle Long’s retirement. While Chicago signed Germain Ifedi, there’s no guarantee he’s the answer at the position.
The Bears lost starters at cornerback and safety — with the departures of Prince Amukamara and Clinton-Dix. While the Bears have re-signed safety Deon Bush and added cornerback Artie Burns and safety Jordan Lucas, defensive back remains a need heading into the NFL Draft.
The offseason is far from over. But, at least at this point, the Bears haven’t made the splash they were hoping for.
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