NFL | GM Ryan Poles’ newest strikes

The NFL’s new league 12 months started at 3 p.m. Wednesday. However the free-agency frenzy obtained underway at 11 a.m. Monday with groups in a position to negotiate contracts with gamers set to hit the open market.

The Chicago Bears, with normal supervisor Ryan Poles on the controls, entered free company with loads of room below the NFL’s inflated $255.4 million wage cap for 2024. That opened the door for Poles to be aggressive on the open market. However the third-year GM additionally has taken a sensible and disciplined strategy to free company throughout his first two offseasons and would possibly once more decide his spots, selecting methods to make investments most correctly.

Because the motion heats up, the Tribune is monitoring all the Bears-related information across the league. Join our sports activities publication so that you don’t miss a factor.

March 14

Veteran offensive lineman Jake Curhan agreed to phrases on a one-year contract with the Bears.

What it means: The Bears are clearly motivated to have depth and choices when the offseason program opens and once they get to coaching camp. From there, they’ll kind out the way it will stack up.

Curhan, a 26-year-old former undrafted free agent from Cal, spent the final three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He appeared in 29 video games with 9 begins, largely at proper deal with, together with a 2021 assembly with the Bears in Week 16 at Lumen Discipline.

Curhan is the third offensive lineman to hitch the combination in two days. The Bears agreed to phrases Wednesday with Matt Pryor, who tasks as a possible swing deal with, and reached settlement earlier Thursday with heart Coleman Shelton on a one-year deal.

The Bears signed heart Coleman Shelton to a one-year deal. 

What it means: Shelton joins the Bears after 5 seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. He performed in 73 video games for the Rams and made 32 begins during the last three seasons.

The 6-foot-4, 299-pound Shelton offers inside offensive line competitors and depth for the Bears, who additionally traded for heart/guard Ryan Bates final week.

Shelton, 28, entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Washington in 2018 and hung out with the San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals earlier than discovering a house with the Rams.

March 13

Veteran offensive lineman Matt Pryor is becoming a member of the Bears on a one-year deal.

What it means: Pryor, 29, is coming into his sixth NFL season and figures to compete for a backup position. He has positional versatility at deal with and guard and has made 24 profession begins, 10 of these coming in 2020 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Pryor spent his first two seasons with the Eagles, the subsequent two with the Indianapolis Colts and final season with the San Francisco 49ers.

Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham was within the Eagles entrance workplace in 2019 when Pryor entered the league as a sixth-round pick of TCU, so there’s familiarity the Bears can draw on. Coach Matt Eberflus additionally is aware of Pryor from their time collectively in 2021 in Indianapolis.

The Bears need to improve and add high quality depth to their offensive line. They traded a fifth-round decide to the Buffalo Payments earlier this month for veteran inside lineman Ryan Bates. In addition they have 4 returning starters in tackles Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones and guards Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis.

The Bears are signing quarterback Brett Rypien to a one-year deal.

What it means: Rypien, 27, offers the Bears a veteran backup in a quarterback room that at the moment comprises Justin Fields and Tyson Bagent.

He has been within the league since 2019 and has performed in 10 video games with 4 begins. The previous undrafted free agent out of Boise State made three begins with the Denver Broncos from 2020-22 and one with the Los Angeles Rams final 12 months. He hung out with the Seattle Seahawks and new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in November 2023, although he didn’t see any enjoying time. He completed the 12 months with the New York Jets.

Rypien accomplished 58.3% of his passes for 950 yards with 4 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in his 10 profession appearances.

The Bears are signing linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga, NFL Community reported.

What it means: Ogbongbemiga reportedly will be a part of the Bears on a one-year, $2.1 million deal ($1.1 million assured) to fortify the particular groups models. He performed in 47 video games during the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, making two begins.

Whereas he performed solely 5 defensive snaps in 2023, he performed a outstanding position on Chargers particular groups, enjoying 80% of the snaps in 15 video games, based on Professional Soccer Reference. He had two fumble recoveries final season.

March 12

Veteran security Jonathan Owens has agreed to a two-year take care of the Bears, a league supply confirmed.

What it means: Owens, 28, will fortify the depth on the again finish of the protection, becoming a member of a safeties room that additionally consists of Jaquan Brisker, Kevin Byard and Elijah Hicks. Married to gymnast Simone Biles, Owens has performed six seasons within the NFL, coming into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri Western in 2018.

He spent final season with the Inexperienced Bay Packers after a earlier cease with the Houston Texans (2019-22). He spent his rookie season on injured reserve with the Arizona Cardinals.

additionally I simply love town of Chicago

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) March 12, 2024

Owens has a fame as a dependable tackler and assignment-sound participant who ought to match into the tradition Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus proceed to construct at Halas Corridor. He seemingly will slot in because the third security behind Brisker and Byard however has beginning expertise and might contribute on particular groups.

The Packers initially had curiosity in re-signing Owens however selected to make an even bigger splash by including free agent Xavier McKinney as a probable starter. A league supply mentioned Owens’ new take care of the Bears is value $4.5 million.

The Bears are signing tight finish Gerald Everett to a two-year, $12 million deal, ESPN reported. 

What it means: Everett, a seven-year NFL veteran, joins the Bears on a deal that reportedly has a $14 million most worth and consists of $6.1 million totally assured.

Everett was a second-round decide (No. 44) by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, taken one spot forward of former Bears tight finish Adam Shaheen. He spent the final two years with the Los Angeles Chargers and earlier than that performed below new Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron for the Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Everett had a profession excessive of 58 catches for 555 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2022. Over the past 5 years, he has averaged 47 catches and 454 yards per season.

He joins Cole Kmet within the tight ends room, which wanted depth with Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan set to be free brokers. Kmet is below contract by 2027 after signing a $50 million extension in 2023.

Former Bears large receiver Darnell Mooney is signing with the Atlanta Falcons, NFL Community reported.

What it means: After 4 seasons with the Bears, Mooney discovered a brand new house with the Falcons and new quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Bears’ 2020 fifth-round decide reportedly agreed to a three-year, $39 million take care of $26 million assured.

It appeared seemingly after the season that the Bears and Mooney, their No. 2 receiver in 2023, would half. He had a career-high 81 catches for 1,055 yards and 4 touchdowns in his second season with the Bears in 2021, enjoying with quarterback Justin Fields below coach Matt Nagy. However his manufacturing fell off steeply the final two years.

An ankle harm reduce quick Mooney’s 2022 season. In 2023, enjoying behind prime receiver DJ Moore, Mooney had simply 31 catches for 414 yards and a landing.

Bears GM Ryan Poles mentioned after the season he believed Mooney would bounce again. The Tribune’s Brad Biggs reported that earlier than the 2023 season started, Mooney turned down the Bears’ supply of a three-year extension value greater than $10 million yearly. Now, regardless of his down season, Mooney will get a shot with a brand new staff and quarterback.

The Bears, in the meantime, have a protracted solution to go to fill out their large receiver depth behind Moore.

March 11

Former Bears defensive deal with Justin Jones is signing with the Arizona Cardinals, NFL Community reported. 

What it means: Jones, who began 34 video games during the last two seasons for the Bears, reportedly obtained a three-year, $30.1 million take care of $19.75 million assured from the Cardinals.

The Bears must be out there for one more three-technique deal with. They drafted defensive tackles Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens final 12 months, however even when they plan to bump up Dexter’s enjoying time in 2024 to interchange Jones, they want depth.

In two seasons with the Bears, Jones had 101 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, 7 1/2 sacks, 24 quarterback hits, eight passes defended and a fumble restoration. He was the Bears nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Yr in 2023.

Operating again D’Andre Swift has agreed to a three-year take care of the Bears, per a number of studies.

What it means: The Bears wasted little time when the negotiating window opened Monday so as to add pop to their offense, providing Swift a three-year, $24.5 million deal that reportedly consists of greater than $15 million assured. NFL Community first reported the deal.

Swift is coming off a profession season in Philadelphia through which he rushed for 1,049 yards and 5 touchdowns whereas including 39 catches for 214 yards and one other TD. Swift, 25, spent his first three NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions and can look to turn out to be the lead again in a brand new offensive system in Chicago overseen by coordinator Shane Waldron. Swift’s pace and flexibility had been little question enticing to the Bears.

He’ll be a part of a operating backs room at Halas Corridor that additionally consists of second-year professional Roschon Johnson and Khalil Herbert.

March 10

The Bears agreed to a two-year contract with security Kevin Byard.

What it means: The Bears are banking on Byard, a two-time All-Professional, having extra high-level play remaining than their former embellished free security, Eddie Jackson.

The take care of Byard fills a major roster want upfront of the negotiating window that opens at 11 a.m. Monday and leads into the beginning of free company Wednesday.

The Bears launched Jackson on Feb. 15 as they weren’t going to pay him $14 million for 2024, and that left them in the hunt for a veteran presence for what stays a younger secondary. Enter Byard, 30, who visited Halas Corridor on Friday and obtained a deal carried out earlier than the top of the weekend.

Byard was chosen as an All-Professional in 2017 and 2021 with the Tennessee Titans and can be a two-time Professional Bowl choice. A 3rd-round pick of Center Tennessee State in 2016, Byard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in October for defensive again Terrell Edmunds and fifth- and sixth-round draft picks.

In Philadelphia, Byard had 75 tackles and one interception in 10 video games for a staff that pale down the stretch. Byard, who turns 31 in August, has not missed a sport in his eight-year profession, so there’s no query his sturdiness appealed to the Bears.

March 8

The Bears are re-signing lengthy snapper Patrick Scales to a one-year contract, his agent tweeted.

What it means: Scales, the longest-tenured Bears participant, returns on a take care of greater than $1 million in ensures, NFL Community reported. Scales, 36, has performed in 120 video games since becoming a member of the Bears in 2015. He is part of the unit that has helped kicker Cairo Santos make greater than 91% of his discipline objectives in three of his final 4 seasons. Santos signed a four-year, $16 million extension in December.

The Bears introduced two different strikes Friday. They renegotiated and prolonged large receiver Collin Johnson, who performed in three video games and had one catch final season. They usually signed security Tarvarius Moore, who final performed for the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. Moore was with the Inexperienced Bay Packers in 2023 coaching camp however suffered a knee harm, they usually launched him with a settlement. He has began 13 NFL video games since 2018.

March 7

The Bears signed cornerback Jaylon Johnson to a four-year, $76 million contract.

What it means: Two days after the Bears utilized the franchise tag to Johnson, the 2 events reached a deal that reportedly consists of $54 million in ensures and will hold the staff’s prime cornerback in Chicago by 2027. Drafted at No. 50 in 2020, Johnson was chosen to the Professional Bowl final season and honored as a second-team All-Professional, punctuating a breakout 12 months through which he had 4 interceptions and established himself as one of many league’s greatest cowl cornerbacks.

Johnson wasn’t shy in expressing his wishes to money in along with his second contract, aiming to be rewarded as one of many prime defenders within the league. On the NFL scouting mix, Poles emphasised he had prolonged a proposal to Johnson that the Bears believed was honest when it comes to money worth, assured cash and time period size. A little bit greater than every week later, they settled on the deal.

Feb. 15

The Bears launched security Eddie Jackson and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair.

What it means: Jackson and Whitehair performed their total careers with the Bears, served as staff captains at completely different factors and had been coming into the ultimate 12 months of their contracts.

Whitehair, a second-round draft decide in 2016, began 118 video games at heart and guard in eight seasons, together with 11 video games in 2023. Jackson, a fourth-round decide in 2017, began 100 video games in seven seasons, together with 12 final season. Jackson, an All-Professional in 2018, leaves the Bears with 15 profession interceptions, 44 passes defended, 10 pressured fumbles, six return touchdowns and 459 tackles.

Slicing Whitehair will clear $9.15 million in salary-cap area, based on overthecap.com, whereas slicing Jackson will clear $12.56 million.