Tag: 2023 free agency

30 Bears players are free agents in 2023

The Bears have 30 players slated to become free agents this offseason.

The 2022 NFL season has come to an end, and the focus now shifts to what’s shaping up to be an important offseason for the Chicago Bears.

In 2023, the Bears are slated to have 30 free agents, according to Over The Cap. The team already re-signed wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown to a one-year contract extension.

The Bears are slated to have roughly $99 million in salary cap space for GM Ryan Poles to work with in building his roster, where he’ll look to bring in new faces and potentially re-sign some in-house free agents.

Here’s a look at the Bears players set to hit the open market in free agency:

Micah Parsons wants Cowboys to sign free agent away from rival

Parsons isn’t scared off by Daron Payne’s expected deal of over $19 million per year. “You’ve got to spend the money,” he said. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Micah Parsons has proven to never be shy when it comes to saying what’s on his mind. Whether he’s challenging any and all comers to a foot race (or chess or locker-room basketball or a home run derby), stirring the pot about a certain Eagles quarterback’s MVP chances, or putting his foot in his mouth on social media with his frequent comments on issues of the day, the Cowboys linebacker takes a no-nonsense approach to, well, pretty much everything.

So it should come as no surprise that when asked about how the Cowboys can get over the proverbial hump, Parsons didn’t tapdance around the subject.

“We’ve got to go after free agency,” he told PFT Live‘s Mike Florio and Chris Simms this week from Radio Row in Phoenix.

And when asked about general areas of need he sees on the roster, the second-year superstar didn’t talk in broad positional strokes. He came right out and named names.

“I like DaRon Payne a lot.”

The Commanders defensive tackle set career highs in sacks and tackles for loss in 2022; now the former first-round draft pick is in line for a massive new contract. It may come from Washington, who has reportedly reached out to Payne’s representatives… or it may come from another club.

Having played out his fifth-year option, Payne could be locked up by the Commanders with a franchise tag. But if one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the league actually hits free agency in March, expect the bidding war to get crazy.

Landing him could require a deal that’s projected to be well over $19 million per year. And that makes the Cowboys- who are notorious for sitting out the expensive first wave of free-agent signings and waiting for the bargain players to come available later- an unlikely suitor for the 6-foot-3-inch, 320-pound Alabama product.

If Spotrac’s $19.4 million AAV projection is accurate (PFF estimates even more), it would give Payne the second-highest salary on the Cowboys roster, behind only quarterback Dak Prescott.

But Parsons says it would be a worthwhile investment, one that could finally secure that sixth Lombardi Trophy for the franchise.

“You’ve got to spend the money,” he said. “Why not spend it? I think we’ve got a chance. I think we could be in Vegas next year.”

Parsons is the engine that makes the Dallas defense go. But even after back-to-back 12-win seasons that saw him take him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and then a second-place finish for Defensive Player of the Year, the 23-year-old knows it’ll take more than just him.

“I feel like we’re right there,” he said. “We’re two plays away, we’re two or three plays away.”

Or maybe, as Parsons believes, one very highly-paid defensive tackle.

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Bears salary cap hits for each player on 2023 roster

Here’s a look at the salary cap hit for each Bears player currently under contract in 2023.

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for an important 2023 offseason, where general manager Ryan Poles will be looking to build up the roster.

The Bears are projected to have roughly $99 million in salary cap space, which is the most in the NFL by a wide margin. That could certainly change ahead of free agency based on some potential cap casualties.

Here’s a look at the salary cap hit for each Bears player currently under contract in 2023.

One free agent each NFL team should want to sign in 2023

If each NFL team were to sign this one free agent, they’d definitely improve their roster.

The Chiefs and Eagles are set to put a bow on the 2022 season when they battle in Super Bowl LVII. But the other 30 teams are already engrossed in the offseason, which kicks into gear ahead of the start of the new league year.

We’re just over a month away from the start of free agency, which begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 15. But the legal tampering window opens two days before that on March 13, where teams will be able to negotiate with free agents before the official start of the 2023 season.

The 2023 salary cap has already been set at $224.8 million, and there are a number of teams who have some work to do over the next month when it comes to building their rosters.

Our NFL Wire editors identified one pending free agent (at the time of publication) that each team should sign to help improve their roster. From the look of it, expect players like safety Jessie Bates III, offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to be hot commodities this offseason.

8 pending free agents the Bears should consider re-signing in 2023

Ahead of free agency, we’re looking at some in-house free agents the Bears should consider re-signing in 2023.

The offseason is in full swing, and we’re just over a month away from the start of the new league year and free agency. And the Bears have some important decisions to make when it comes to in-house free agents.

The Bears are slated to have nearly $98.6 million in salary cap space — which is the most in the league (by a wide margin) — and there are plenty of holes to fill on the roster for new general manager Ryan Poles. Perhaps a few of those roster spots will be filled by some of Chicago’s in-house free agents, including some key contributors from last season that could be back as starters or reserves.

Ahead of free agency, we’re looking at some in-house free agents the Bears should consider re-signing in 2023.

Bears expected to be active pursuing offensive linemen in free agency

The Bears need to shore up the offensive line, so it’s no surprise Ryan Poles is expected to be active targeting O-line in free agency.

The Chicago Bears are in a position to have a potential franchise-altering offseason, where general manager Ryan Poles has no shortage of resources.

Not only do the Bears have the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, but they’re expected to have $98.6 million in salary cap space, which is the most in the NFL (by a wide margin).

Poles has plenty of work to do with arguably the league’s worst roster from 2022. That starts in the trenches with the defensive line and offensive line, which were the biggest weaknesses with their respective units.

According to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic, the Bears are expected to be active in free agency, particularly when it comes to targeting offensive linemen.

It wouldn’t be a surprise for Poles to spend money on the offensive line. It’s an area of need, a position he emphasizes, and usually one where a team can be more comfortable getting immediate help from veterans as opposed to rookies.

One league source confirmed the obvious — there is already talk that the Bears will be active in free agency on the offensive line.

It’s not a surprise considering Bears quarterback Justin Fields was the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL last season (55 sacks), and shoring up the offensive line should be a big focal point for Poles this offseason.

At this point, it feels like Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones, one of the team’s best rookies, figure into the starting lineup for 2023. But the future is murky for the rest of the unit, including veterans Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick, who could be salary cap casualties. Sam Mustipher, who’s a restricted free agent, could be back next season — albeit in a reserve role.

When looking at the free agent market, there are some intriguing names that should be available. Whether it’s at tackle (Orlando Brown Jr., Mike McGlinchey, Kaleb McGary, Jawaan Taylor), center (Jason Kelce, Ethan Pocic, Garrett Bradbury) or guard (Ben Powers).

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4 Bears who could be salary cap casualties in 2023

These Bears veterans are on the chopping block.

The Chicago Bears are just beginning what could be a franchise-altering offseason, where general manager Ryan Poles will be looking to retool the league’s worst roster in 2022. And he has the resources to get it done.

When looking at the Bears’ roster, there aren’t a lot of expensive contracts on the books. Safety Eddie Jackson has the biggest cap hit at $17.09 million, but he doesn’t feel like someone who could be on the chopping block. He’s coming off a bounce back season, where he led the Bears with four interceptions before missing the final six games due to injury.

Not to mention, Chicago is in an excellent place in terms of cap space, where they’re expected to have $98.6 million, according to Spotrac. That’s the most in the NFL (by a wide margin).

But there are some veterans who could be cap casualties heading into the offseason, especially if Poles can find upgrades at their respective positions while saving some money along the way.

Here are some cut candidates for the Bears this offseason:

Bear Necessities: GM Ryan Poles’ approach to free agency

The Bears have $98.6 million in salary cap space, but that doesn’t mean GM Ryan Poles is about to go on a big spending spree in free agency.

This is our online morning newsletter, Bear Necessities — weekly offseason edition. Subscribe to get the latest Bears news delivered to your mailbox every day.

The NFL finalized its 2023 salary cap this week, where it’s expected to be a record $224.8 million, which is up $16.6 million from 2022 ($208.2 million).

That’s great news for the Bears, who are projected to have $98.6 million in cap space, which is nearly double the next team (Falcons at $56.4 million).

But just because Chicago has a ton of money to spend doesn’t mean GM Ryan Poles is about to go on an all-out spending spree. Poles laid out his approach for free agency, which includes being sound in their moves and getting good value.

“We’ve got to stay sound in free agency,” Poles said after the 2022 season. “I know everyone is talking about how much money we have and we’re just going to go crazy. We’re going to be sound so we get the right players in here and we get good value and attack the draft, always keeping value in mind. That’s not going to change just because we have the No. 1 overall pick.”

The Bears have a number of holes on the roster, starting in the trenches with the defensive and offensive lines. There are some notable names set to hit the free agent market at this positions, which could help shore up the biggest weaknesses from a season ago.

But just because Poles warns they’re going to be smart when it comes to free agency doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not willing to spend big, if the right guy comes along.

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Stay or go: Predicting the fates of Bears free agents in 2023

We’re predicting whether these Bears free agents will be back with the team or departing in free agency.

The Chicago Bears are in the midst of an important 2023 offseason, where general manager Ryan Poles will look to retool the roster and build a contender.

Free agency is just over a month away, which means Poles is busy doing his research on veterans and draft prospects with the draft just a couple months away.

The Bears are slated to have an estimated $98.6 million in available cap space — before any trades, releases or restructures — and a lot of roster holes to fill. With the most cap space (by a wide margin), Poles has plenty of resources to help retool this roster. And he’ll have some decisions to make about some in-house free agents.

We’re predicting whether these Bears free agents will be back with the team or departing in free agency.

These 24 Cowboys are free agents in 2023

Here’s a look at the list of free agents Dallas has to decide on, from Dalton to Donovan, and the likelihood each would enter in the 2024 comp pick formula. | From @KDDrummondNFL

When you’re a team that focuses on re-signing your in-house talent thanks to your ability to draft extremely well, the list of pending free agents is always a long one. That list is then augmented by the series of one-year deals the front office hands out, hoping to finding lightning in a bottle to augment the long-term deals of those in house. That’s the case once again for the Dallas Cowboys.

In 2023 the Cowboys have 24 pending free agents of which the club will look to decide who they will try to bring back to the fold to add to their 49 players currently under contract. Dallas can work on deals with all of these guys over the next two months, but once the start of the new league year hits in March, most of these players can begin to negotiate with other teams and see where their true value lies.

Here’s a look at the list, as well as what we believe is the likelihood these players would figure into the comp pick formula should they ink a deal with another team. Comp picks are awarded based on whether or not a team lost more qualifying free agents than they signed, and the value is based on a formula largely dependent on the annual value of the new contract.