Tag: Demarcus Walker

The best bargains and most underrated players in 2023 NFL free agency (so far)

Everybody wants to talk about the big-name signings, but here are the best bargains of the 2023 free agent class so far.

There are people in the NFL — especially people who have endured one or more instances of top-heavy free-agency spending — who will tell you that if you want to contend for a Super Bowl, the bottom third of your roster will be just as important as the top third at some point in time. Yes, you want optimal performances from the best and brightest, and if you get it, that’s great. But one of your star players will probably miss time with an injury. Another star might be involved in a contract dispute. And it’s entirely possible that the big-ticket free agent your team brought in for the gross national product of Estonia is actually a bad fit for what his new coaches would like him to do.

It happens all the time. To counter all of these little nightmares, it’s wise to find the best bargains in any free-agent cycle — those players who may not be marquee names, but whose performances on the field makes them important to you.

Especially when things go wrong up top.

There are still quite a few talented players on the open market, so we’ll be adding to this list as we go… but for now, here are the free agents either re-signing in their old homes or going to new locations who will impact their rosters much more than you may think.

Justin Fields has made the Bears a prime destination for free agents

DeMarcus Walker on whether Justin Fields played a role in signing with the Bears: “Excuse my French. Abso-(bleeping)-lutely.”

The Chicago Bears are in the midst of an important offseason that could change the trajectory of the franchise moving forward, and quarterback Justin Fields is at the center of it.

While general manager Ryan Poles did his part in getting Fields a No. 1 receiver in trading for DJ Moore, free agency has shown that Fields has made the Bears an attractive destination for free agents.

New Bears defensive end DeMarcus Walker was asked whether Fields played a role in signing with the Bears, and he didn’t hold back.

“Excuse my French,” Walker said. “Abso-(bleeping)-lutely.”

And he’s not alone. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, the team’s top addition so far in free agency, said that Fields was one of the reasons he signed with Chicago.

“I’m excited to be around him and get to work with him,” Edmunds said.

Offensive lineman Nate Davis, who projects to play at left guard, saw the appeal in playing with an exciting young quarterback like Fields.

“The man is young. He’s smart. He’s talented. He’s a leader,” Davis said. “That’s somebody you want to block for.”

Even PJ Walker, who will be competing for the backup job with Trevor Siemian, is eager to work with Fields.

“I was highly impressed with the ability he has,” he said. “…I’ve always been excited for him and a fan of his.”

The Bears are no doubt a franchise on the rise, and you can see that there are players who want to be part of that culture. Fields is a big part of that.

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Bears GM Ryan Poles sounds off on free agent signings

Bears GM Ryan Poles shares his thoughts on Chicago’s new signings, including Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards.

The Chicago Bears have made their first signings official through the first wave of free agency, which included filling some starting jobs and adding some depth pieces.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles has officially added six new faces to Chicago’s roster since the start of free agency, including linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, as well as guard Nate Davis, defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker, running back Travis Home, quarterback PJ Walker and defensive tackle Andrew Billings.

Here’s what Poles had to say about his first wave of free agent signings (note: Andrew Billings signing hasn’t been announced yet.)

Grading the Bears’ signing of DL DeMarcus Walker

DeMarcus Walker had a career year in 2022 and cashed in with the Bears. Will he sustain that success or was it an outlier?

The Chicago Bears were lacking on their defensive line in 2022 and made a move in free agency to hopefully improve in that area. The team signed former Tennessee Titans defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker to a three-year, $21 million deal with $16 million guaranteed.

Walker was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and was fairly quiet his first couple of years. He improved significantly in 2019 and 2020 and joined the Houston Texans in 2021 before spending 2022 with the Titans. Walker had his best season last year as a rotational player, totaling 32 tackles, 10 for a loss, and seven sacks, all of which were career highs.

Now, Walker comes to the Bears hoping to build on his success while helping the team improve their pass rush. Here is our initial grade of the move.

Highlights of every Bears free agent addition (so far)

Take a look at highlights of the five newest Chicago Bears, including LBs Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards.

The Chicago Bears have made five moves in free agency ahead of the new league year, where they’ve added four starters and another impact contributor.

General manager Ryan Poles has done exactly what he promised: Play free agency smart and not overpay (like some of those massive contracts for free-agent defensive tackles and offensive tackles).

The Bears shored up their linebacker group with the additions of Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Walker, who will serve as the WILL and MIKE linebackers, respectively. Chicago also found a new starting guard in Nate Davis, as well as a versatile defensive lineman in DeMarcus Walker. After David Montgomery agreed to terms with the Lions, the Bears found a solid backup and special teams contributor in Travis Homer

Here’s a look at highlights from the five new additions in free agency:

Bears sign DeMarcus Walker: Experts hand out grades for Chicago

Here’s a collection of all of the grades for the Bears’ expected signing of DL DeMarcus Walker, where experts believe he’ll be a good fit.

The Chicago Bears addressed the defensive line with the addition of defensive end DeMarcus Walker, who’s expected to sign a three-year deal worth $21 million.

Walker served as a key rotational piece for the Tennessee Titans last season, where he set career highs in sacks (7) and QB pressures (16). His seven sacks were more than Chicago’s current defensive front combined and he had just four less QB pressures than the Bears had as a team. While Walker isn’t a splashy signing, he’s someone who should upgrade the league’s worst pass rush from a year ago.

Here’s a collection of all of the grades for the Bears’ expected signing of Walker, where experts believe he’ll be a good fit in Chicago.

DeMarcus Walker reacts to joining the Bears

Welcome to the Bears, DeMarcus Walker!

The Chicago Bears added their first defensive lineman of free agency in former Tennessee Titans defensive end DeMarcus Walker.

Walker is expected to sign a three-year deal worth $21 million with $16 million guaranteed, according to Courtney Cronin. Walker is a versatile defensive lineman who has experience playing both outside and inside, which certainly had to be appealing for the Bears. But he joins Chicago as a projected starter off the edge.

While the deal won’t become official until the start of the new league year on Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT, Walker couldn’t wait to take to Twitter to share his reaction to joining the Bears.

Walker is coming off a breakout year with Tennessee, where he totaled 7.0 sacks, 32 pressures and 16 QB hits. He also earned a 72.8 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Walker’s individual production rivaled the entire Bears defense last season. Walker’s seven sacks were more than Justin Jones, Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson combined. His 16 QB hits were also four shy of Chicago’s team total of 20.

While it wasn’t a particularly flashy signing, the Bears definitely upgraded at defensive end with the addition of Walker.

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What the Bears are getting in new DE DeMarcus Walker

We spoke to Mike Moraitis of Titans Wire to give us a rundown on what we can expect from new Bears DL DeMarcus Walker.

The Chicago Bears are expected to sign defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker to a three-year deal.

Walker is coming off a career year with the Tennessee Titans with notched 7.0 sacks, 32 pressures and 16 QB hits. While he’s not the splash signing fans have been waiting for, he’s an upgrade along the defensive line and should serve in a key rotational role in Matt Eberflus’ defense.

We spoke to Mike Moraitis of Titans Wire, who gave us the rundown on what we can expect from the Bears’ new defensive lineman and why he could be a good fit for Chicago.

Details of DL DeMarcus Walker’s contract with Bears

The Bears are expected to sign DL DeMarcus Walker. See the details of his contract here:

The Chicago Bears made their first move along the defensive line in the free agency negotiating period, agreeing to terms with defensive end DeMarcus Walker.

It wasn’t the splash defensive line signing that Bears fans were expecting on Day 1. But Walker provides a clear upgrade off the edge. Especially for a pass rush that managed a league-worst 20 sacks in 17 games. Not to mention, he’s a versatile defensive lineman who can play inside, as well.

Details of Walker’s contract have emerged, and it’s a front-loaded contract for the Bears. According to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, it’s a three-year contract for Walker worth $21 million with $16 million guaranteed.

Walker is coming off a breakout year with the Tennessee Titans, where he notched 7.0 sacks, 32 pressures and 16 QB hits. He also earned a 72.8 grade from Pro Football Focus.

For reference, Walker had more sacks than Justin Jones, Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson combined. Also, his 16 QB hits were just four shy of Chicago’s team total of 20.

Walker, a former second-round pick in 2017, joins a defensive end group that also includes Gipson and Robinson. Still, the Bears have plenty of work to do on the defensive line, especially along the interior.

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Twitter reacts to Bears signing DE DeMarcus Walker in free agency

The Bears are expected to sign DE DeMarcus Walker in free agency. Here’s how Twitter is reacting to the move:

The Chicago Bears finally made a move along the defensive line in free agency. Chicago is expected to sign defensive end DeMarcus Walker to a three-year, $21 million deal.

It’s the fourth move of the day for general manager Ryan Poles, who also agreed to terms with linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, as well as offensive guard Nate Davis.

Walker is coming off a breakout year with the Titans, where he notched 7.0 sacks, 32 pressures — both career highs — and 16 quarterback hits. His 7.0 sacks were more than Justin Jones, Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson combined last season. His 16 QB hits were four less than the Bears’ team total of 20.

Safe to say, this is an upgrade at defensive end — even if it isn’t a super flashy signing. He’s a high-upside addition for Poles, who has the potential to be an impactful rotational player.

Here’s how Twitter is reacting to the Bears signing Walker: