INDIANAPOLIS — The possibility that has turned into a probability — the Chicago Bears trading the No. 1 draft pick — is generating buzz at the scouting combine.
General manager Ryan Poles noted Tuesday that an agreement for a deal before the new league year starts March 15 would help streamline some of the organization’s goals. It seems unlikely something would be finalized this week, but deal or no deal, free agency is arriving quickly with the open window for negotiating just 13 days away.
The Bears are the runaway leader in available salary-cap space at $98 million, according to spotrac.com, and that opens a world of options that weren’t available to Poles a year ago when he started the franchise reboot.
An aggressive approach could help the Bears add a small handful of starters in the first wave of free agency. There’s danger in overspending, however, and in some instances players are on the open market for a reason.
As one veteran personnel man said, it’s easy to do more harm to your roster than good with a frenzied approach to free agency. The New York Giants signed wide receiver Kenny Golladay two years ago to a four-year, $72 million deal. The Bears were rumored to have interest in him, and whether they actually did really doesn’t matter. The Giants are going to cut Golladay after two years, 43 receptions, one touchdown and $40.5 million in earnings.
It’s easy to cite examples like this yearly, and the teams that help themselves in free agency tend to find fewer land mines in wasteful contracts than other teams. Desperation leads to clouded or wishful thinking, and Poles should not be desperate entering Year 2.
“Just like the draft, we have players that are going to be in certain buckets for values, and this year we have the ability to approach and go after a few of those guys,” Poles said. “We’re going to stay selective. We’re going to have parameters that kind of match our values and our research.”
Poles credited his scouting staff for the work it already has done this offseason. Coach Matt Eberflus said he has written 60 reports on potential free agents and his staff has had a hand in the process. Matt Feinstein and Cliff Stein have researched the market to provide an idea of which buckets different players belong in.
“The key is we don’t waste this opportunity and do something that’s not sound that doesn’t allow us to have this flexibility in years to come,” Poles said. “So that’s the balance. Take advantage of now but still not trying to hurt you down the road.”
Poles knows when he uses the word “value” in talking about the opening of free agency — and deals often are hammered out during the negotiating window — it’s only in terms of what value the team places on a player. There are no value deals — as in bargains — at the outset.
He also has spoken consistently about his desire to build through the draft, and that was highlighted last season by the number of young players the Bears put on the field.
It’s not a great free-agent class overall, and that certainly doesn’t help Poles. The Bears need to overhaul their defensive line and there are only a few potential high-level fits.
The Washington Commanders used the franchise tag to secure Daron Payne on Tuesday. Dre’Mont Smith projects as a three-technique if the Denver Broncos don’t re-sign him; the sides are in communication. The 26-year-old could command roughly $18 million per season on the open market, and a three-technique is a must-have for Eberflus this offseason.
Javon Hargrave is in position to cash in at that position after a big season for the Philadelphia Eagles, but he’s 30. Poles might not want to spend big on a player with a shorter shelf life.
The market for pass rushers is mighty thin with Yannick Ngakoue and Marcus Davenport at the top. Ngakoue has been on five teams since the start of the 2019 season, and it’s difficult to envision him as a fit for Eberflus considering his deficiencies playing the run. Davenport could be a boom-or-bust addition. Fortunately it looks like a good draft for edge rushers, who are more plentiful than disruptive interior players.
The wide receiver market is super thin, which was one of the motivating factors behind the Chase Claypool trade last season. There could be some right tackles to pick through with Mike McGlinchey, Jawaan Taylor and Kaleb McGary possible options. There will be a handful of free-agent centers if the Bears want to go that route.
The more starting spots the Bears fill in free agency, the more flexibility they will have in the draft, especially if Poles winds up flipping the No. 1 pick and adding more depth to his draft class. But we’re not talking about a list of free agents who could turn around a 3-14 team by themselves.
The flip side to it being a down year for free agency as a whole is that multiple personnel men said they believe a good number of solid players will wind up being cut, some as cap casualties.
“You always have to be on your toes to adapt and adjust,” Poles said.
