The Chicago Bears have spent the offseason overhauling their offense following a disappointing 2019 season. They’ve addressed two of the offense’s biggest concerns in quarterback and tight end, as well as brought in some new coaches to help right the ship.
But Bleacher Report believes that the Bears made two of the worst moves this offseason — both on offense — with the signing of tight end Jimmy Graham and trading for quarterback Nick Foles.
There was a ton of criticism following Chicago’s decision to sign Graham in free agency, so it wasn’t a surprise to find the Graham signing on this list at No. 9.
B/R cited Graham’s contract — he has the seventh-highest annual salary among tight ends, per Spotrac — as the main criticism for this move.
Not only did they give him a lucrative contract, but they also threw in a no-trade clause for good measure, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Further confounding this deal is the fact that the Bears used their first pick on Cole Kmet (second round, No. 43). Rookie tight ends find it notoriously difficult to produce as rookies, but it’s still another large investment the organization is making in a position that rarely sees this much commitment.
It’s not a franchise-breaker since it’s only a two-year deal, but it’s a head-scratcher nonetheless.
But perhaps most surprising is the fact that the trade for Foles landed at No. 2 on B/R’s list of worst offseason moves. This move ranked just behind the Houston Texans trading star receiver DeAndre Hopkins for chump change.
B/R cited Foles’ hefty guaranteed money — $21 million of his restructured three-year, $24 million deal is guaranteed — as reason for concern. They took it a step further comparing Foles to the likes of Jameis Winston and Cam Newton, both that were available before they signed Foles.
It isn’t the money that makes this a bad deal, though. It’s the opportunity cost. This pact only looked worse as the offseason played out. Jameis Winston agreed to a one-year, $1.1 million contract that makes him an affordable backup. Cam Newton is on the market.
Foles went 0-4 as a starter in 2019. He broke his clavicle in Week 1 before coming back to start three late-season games and lost his job to sixth-round pick Gardner Minshew.
For the most part, the Foles’ trade has been met with as much praise as criticism. But, ultimately, the Bears identified the quarterback they wanted — one with experience in this Matt Nagy-like offense — that they feel can not only provide stability at quarterback but compete for the starting job in what’s likely to be a shortened offseason amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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