The 2023 free agency period is almost here and the Chicago Bears are sure to be active with what should be an exciting offseason. With the most available cap space in the NFL, the Bears should be able to pay top dollar to the free agent of their choice. It’s a big difference from where the team was last offseason during Ryan Poles’ first year as general manager.
Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus took a more conservative approach to free agency, focusing on quantity with one and two-year deals as they had to manage millions of dollars in dead cap. None of their 2022 signings broke the bank, ensuring they had plenty of flexibility this offseason after they had a chance to evaluate the team.
Now that nearly a full year has passed since last free agency began, we graded each significant free agent signing the Bears made in 2022.
LB Nicholas Morrow: B
- Season stats: 116 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 passes defensed
- Contract: 1 year, $3 million
Poles had a strategy during his first free agency as Bears general manager and that was to find young players on short deals who might surprise as key contributors. That strategy paid off with Nicholas Morrow. The former Las Vegas Raiders linebacker was coming off a serious ankle injury that forced him to miss the entire 2021 season and signed for a bargain. He started all 17 games for the Bears and notched 116 tackles with 83 solo and 11 for a loss, all career highs.
Morrow was fine as the team’s MIKE linebacker but excelled when he moved to WILL after Roquan Smith was dealt halfway through the season. He and rookie Jack Sanborn played well together, despite having little help on the defensive line. He’s a strong candidate to be brought back on a bigger deal.
LB Matthew Adams: C-
- Season stats: Season stats: 26 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble
- Contract: 1 year, $1.187 million
Matthew Adams was the other notable linebacker the Bears brought in during free agency. A veteran who was familiar with Eberflus’ system, Adams was slotted at the SAM position, only playing in certain packages and not on every down compared to Morrow or Sanborn. He missed a good portion of the season dealing with injuries, limiting him to 10 games but played to his contract value.
The Bears certainly didn’t break the bank for Adams but given the other needs on the team, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him walk when this year’s free agency opens.
Lucas Patrick: D
- Season stats (via PFF): 2 sacks, 2 hits, 12 hurries, 16 pressures, 0 penalties
- Contract: 2 years, $8 million
The Bears needed an upgrade at the center position, and they zeroed in on Lucas Patrick to fill that need. Coming over from the Green Bay Packers and reuniting with Luke Getsy, Patrick was supposed to provide the leadership and guidance needed at center to give Fields a trusted protector and communicator. Unfortunately, injuries ruined those aspirations.
Patrick suffered a thumb injury in training camp and though he returned to the field by Week 1, it was at the guard position. Patrick was unable to snap, and the Bears elected to keep him away from center, which cut into playing time for Teven Jenkins as he was transitioning to guard. It wasn’t until Week 7 that the Bears finally saw enough from center Sam Mustipher to put Patrick back at the position he was signed to play. He lasted just a few series before a foot injury sidelined him for the year. Patrick is signed for one more year but it’s possible his tenure as a Bear is already over. A player who was supposed to play an important role on the offensive line was barely a footnote last season.
Justin Jones: B+
- Season stats: 52 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 7 QB hits, 4 passes defensed, 1 fumble recovery
- Contract: $2 years, $12 million
The interior of their defensive line was of great concern to the Bears, and they initially looked to make a splash with a deal in place for Larry Ogunjobi of the Cincinnati Bengals. Concerns about his health after a failed physical led to the Bears pulling the plug on the deal and pivoting to Justin Jones for less money. Jones, coming over from the Los Angeles Chargers after a career year, was easily the best defensive lineman on the team last season. He led the team in tackles for a loss with 12, tied for the lead in sacks with 3.0 and finished with 52 total tackles.
Defensive tackle will once again be a focus for Poles this offseason but the Bears can at least rest easier knowing Jones is a reliable player.
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad: D-
- Season stats: 29 total tackles, 1 for loss, 1.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
- Contract: 2 years, $8 million
When the Bears signed Al-Quadin Muhammad, there was no expectation that he would replace the production of Mack after he was dealt to the Los Angeles Chargers. But the bar was raised just a little higher than just one sack. Muhammad was arguably the most disappointing player on the Bears this year. He was virtually invisible all season long as a pass rusher and his run defense only added so much.
Muhammad had a career year in 2021 under Matt Eberflus when both were with the Indianapolis Colts. He was supposed to be a player that not only brought production but brought leadership to the Bears as well when he signed his two-year deal. Muhammad won’t see the last year of that contract either with the Bears already indicating their intention to release him in February. This was arguably Poles’ worst signing.
TE Ryan Griffin: C-
- Season stats: 4 receptions, 26 yards, 0 touchdowns
- Contract: 1 year, $2.25 million
Griffin signed as a free agent to be the primary backup to Cole Kmet and was quiet for most of the year. His most notable moment came on a red zone play against the Washington Commanders where he and Fields failed to connect, with the ball sailing just over his head as he fell down. Griffin did have some productive plays as a blocker, helping set the edge for big throws from Fields, or taking out defenders on running plays. But aside from that, there wasn’t much to see. It remains to be seen if he’ll re-sign with the Bears for the 2023 season but 2022 wasn’t much to write home about.
WR Equanimeous St. Brown: B-
- Season stats: 21 receptions, 323 yards, 1 touchdown; 6 carries, 54 yards, 0 touchdowns
- Contract: 1 year, $1.05 million
At first glance, this grade might look generous for Equanimeous St. Brown. But consider the expectations when he joined the Bears in the offseason. He signed a one-year deal worth just under $1 million, coming from the Green Bay Packers in which he was an afterthought. With the Bears, he became a starter and was a reliable run blocker for the best rushing team in the league. St. Brown also had his moments as a receiver, though there were a few critical drops that are included. When it comes down to it, though, St. Brown exceeded expectations and will be back in 2023. He just shouldn’t be the team’s WR2.
WR Dante Pettis: C
- Season stats: 19 receptions, 245 yards, 3 touchdowns; 2 carries, 37 yards, 0 touchdowns
- Contract: 1 year, $1.035 million
Raise your hand if you had Dante Pettis leading the Bears in touchdowns from a wide receiver this season back in August. The former second-round pick found new life with the Bears, signing later in the spring to compete for a roster spot in camp. He turned that into a stable role on the offense, playing all 17 games.
Pettis is an exceptional route runner, but struggles with drops and that was evident throughout the season. Still, he had his moments catching the deep ball, especially early on in the season. Perhaps he gets invited back next year to compete, but if he’s no more than a special teams contributor, there might be problems.
Byron Pringle: C-
- Season stats: 10 receptions, 135 yards, 2 touchdowns
- Contract: 1 year, $4.125 million
Byron Pringle was the most notable free agent acquisition at the wide receiver position after his breakout season with the Kansas City Chiefs when he totaled 568 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t get anywhere close to that during his time in Chicago.
Pringle played in 11 games and mainly contributed as a run blocker, locking guys up to create big runs from both Fields and the running backs. He did have a couple of nice plays, particularly his impressive catches against the New York Jets and his improvisation to get a touchdown from Fields against the Philadelphia Eagles. Aside from that, there wasn’t much to write home about. You needed more from the player that was supposed to be the team’s WR2 and this free agent acquisition missed the mark.
FB Khari Blasingame: B+
- Season stats: 0 carries, 0 yards, 0 touchdowns; 0 receptions, 0 yards, 0 touchdowns
- Contract: 1 year, $965,000
Khari Blasingame didn’t post a single statistic but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t effective. The fullback constantly sprung big runs for the Bears running backs, especially early in the season as a lead blocker. He’s a big reason why the Bears were able to run the ball on nearly everyone last season and was a bargain at under $1 million last season. Poles would be wise to strongly consider bringing back Blasingame for 2023.
S Dane Cruikshank: C-
- Season stats: 1 tackle
- Contract: 1 year, $1.047 million
At the time of the Bears signing Dane Cruikshank, safety was a major concern. Eddie Jackson was a liability as both a tackler and a ballhawk and there had not been a true strong safety to play inside of the box. Cruikshank was solid in that area with the Tennessee Titans and perhaps he would have been a solid contributor. But the Bears fortified the position in the draft by selecting Jaquan Brisker, relegating Cruikshank to a backup and special teamer.
Cruikshank didn’t make much of an impact anywhere on the field though and played just eight games last season. Fortunately, like most of the Bears’ free agent signings, there wasn’t much financial risk in signing him. It’s unlikely the Bears bring him back in 2023.
QB Trevor Siemian: C+
- Season stats: 15-of-26 (57.7%), 184 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
- Contract: 2 years, $4 million
When it comes to backup quarterbacks, Trevor Siemian fits the mold perfectly. Coming over from the New Orleans Saints, he’s a vested veteran with plenty of games under his belt, a smart player who can step in to run the offense efficiently, and a good locker room presence. He doesn’t cost a ton of money and performed well enough in his lone start last season against the New York Jets. Even while playing through a serious oblique injury.
Siemian won’t wow anyone with his athleticism and there’s an argument to be made that the Bears would be wise to seek out a player who can run the offense like Fields. But for what he provides both on and off the field, he was a fine signing.
OT Riley Reiff: C-
- Season stats (via PFF): 3 sacks, 2 hits, 13 hurries, 14 pressures, 2 penalties
- Contract: 1 year, $3 million ($7.5 million total with bonus)
Going into training camp, the Bears realized they weren’t confident in their offensive line and made a late move to sign tackle Riley Reiff to a unique contract that paid him $3 million in base salary, but could be worth as much as $12 million if certain escalators were hit. Reiff didn’t start at tackle at the beginning of the season, but found his way into the starting lineup thanks to injuries and ineffective play from Larry Borom.
Reiff started 10 games, easily hitting the bonus for 10% of offensive snaps played that paid him an additional $4.5 million. But he was a shell of himself after so many years in the league and didn’t provide an upgrade to the position. He was an overpaid free agent that the Bears felt they needed to have but wound up just being another body. He likely won’t be back and could even call it a career if he doesn’t find the ideal landing spot.
G Michael Schofield: C
- Season stats (via PFF): 1 sack, 0 hits, 7 hurries, 8 pressures, 1 penalty
- 1 year, $1.12 million
Like Reiff, Michael Schofield was signed just prior to the Bears beginning training camp to bolster the offensive line. Injuries took a toll when veteran guard Dakota Dozier was lost for the year, with Schofield set to be the starting right guard. But Schofield struggled out of the game and thanks to Teven Jenkins’ emergence at the position, he became the backup for much of the year.
Schofield started just five games, playing both guard positions when injuries began to mount. He was a fine backup but clearly wasn’t good enough to be the starter. Depending on what happens with Cody Whitehair, who could become a cap casualty, the Bears may opt to bring back Schofield as a reserve/spot starter while they figure out what to do at guard. But it’s likely he’ll look to find a new home elsewhere.
