The Bears 2025 Free Agency Thread

[wood20ks]

I'm more and more liking the Thuney trade. Cost us just a '26 4th rounder. Not only is he still considered one of the best guards in the league, he's missed a whopping total of 2 games during his 9 year career. In NFL terms that is the very definition of an ironman. Granted, he's technically a rental and he's not a long term solution, but I'm guessing Poles has every intention of extending his contract for two or three years.

As for Jackson, I'm holding off doing any sort of happy dance until it's certain he's ready to go from day one. If he is, then he's way more than worth a 6th round gimme pick. And if things don't work out, he can be cut next year with a $0 cap hit. Poles did well on these two trades.

Amen brotha.....amen

So its a 2026 4th round pick and not this years.....??.....nice.

 

[wood20ks]

I'm only posting this link from CBS Sports because the Bears are listed as one of the teams who might be a landing spot for Bosa:

Joey Bosa landing spots: Best fits for five-time Pro Bowler after release from Chargers

Examining the top potential destinations for the star pass rusher

www.cbssports.com

Due to his veteran status, I think his release makes Bosa a free agent, altho I thought he was under contract thru this season. So I really don't know how much a team would have to fork out due to that contract or if they can sign him for any X amount of money. Anyway, his injury history suggests that it might be a role of the dice in paying him what I guess would be some major bucks for his services. He's a 9 year vet entering his age 30 season, yet there have been only 2 seasons when he played in all the games. In the last 3 years he's appeared in just 28 of 51 regular season games, altho in fairness those games have been fairly productive, having racked up 9 sacks an 4 forced fumbles. Assuming he'd even be interested in signing with the Bears, I'd hope that Poles would make it an incentive heavy contract with a one year out if needed.

With the injury bug hitting him every year,I'd just as soon as pass.....

I looked at his stats earlier today,he has not played a full season since 2021.

Yeah,I'll pass.

 

[Nelly]

I'm more and more liking the Thuney trade. Cost us just a '26 4th rounder. Not only is he still considered one of the best guards in the league, he's missed a whopping total of 2 games during his 9 year career. In NFL terms that is the very definition of an ironman. Granted, he's technically a rental and he's not a long term solution, but I'm guessing Poles has every intention of extending his contract for two or three years.

Availability is huge after dealing with Jenkins for four years. This reminds me of when we signed Ruben Brown after he was a long-time probowler with the Bills. He wasn't a world beater but we had him for 4 years and he was good. Beyond all that, Thuney is considered a veteran leader who's been to the top of the mountain numerous times and our offense is sorely lacking vets who've been there, done that.

As for Jackson, I'm holding off doing any sort of happy dance until it's certain he's ready to go from day one. If he is, then he's way more than worth a 6th round gimme pick. And if things don't work out, he can be cut next year with a $0 cap hit. Poles did well on these two trades.

He signed a big deal for a reason then got hurt early in the year which sidelined him for a while. Beau Limmer took over at center and their line gelled nicely. By the time Jackson was healthy again they didn't want to disrupt what was going on there.

He's healthy, and there's no way he would have been available if the Rams didn't have those other guys to come along nicely for them without the same pricetag. Add the Ben Johnson connection and he's probably as good a bet as Will Fries would have been except you don't need to compete with 31 other teams for him in the FA market.

All things considered (namely players available), Poles has knocked it out of the park so far addressing the interior line.

 

[wood20ks]

He's healthy, and there's no way he would have been available if the Rams didn't have those other guys to come along nicely for them without the same pricetag. Add the Ben Johnson connection and he's probably as good a bet as Will Fries would have been except you don't need to compete with 31 other teams for him in the FA market.

I hope you are right......I dont think I can endure another season of CW getting killed back there......

 

[Nelly]

I hope you are right......I dont think I can endure another season of CW getting killed back there......

He played week 18 and then on special teams in the playoffs. He was healthy by the end of the year.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Beau Limmer took over at center and their line gelled nicely. By the time Jackson was healthy again they didn't want to disrupt what was going on there.

Damn, Beau Limmer was one of my draft wishes last year for the center position.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I'm more and more liking the Thuney trade.

Speaking of which, from Yahoo Sports:

Thuney has the highest pass-block win rate (97.8%) in the league over the past two seasons, per ESPN.

As Cyrus, leader of the Gramercy Riffs once said, "Can you dig it!!!!"

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Pulled directly from the 'May Our Wishes Come True' files:

Prisco's Top 100 NFL free agents: Predicting landing spots for Sam Darnold, Josh Sweat, others atop list

Projecting where Pete Prisco's top-ranked free agents will land

www.cbssports.com

The title is a bit misleading as the article only covers Prisco's top 10 free agents. But #5 is what we care most about.

5. Drew Dalman (7th on Prisco's list)​

Position: C | Age: 26 | Season: 5th | Current team: Atlanta Falcons

Drew Dalman was the NFL's fourth-highest graded center last season (78.8 PFF offensive grade) after allowing only two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures allowed in nine games last season while battling through an ankle injury.

Projected landing spot: Bears

Chicago continues to reinforce Caleb Williams' offensive line after he took 68 sacks as a rookie, and they have the cap space to make this move and others.

 

[wood20ks]

Pulled directly from the 'May Our Wishes Come True' files:

Prisco's Top 100 NFL free agents: Predicting landing spots for Sam Darnold, Josh Sweat, others atop list

Projecting where Pete Prisco's top-ranked free agents will land

www.cbssports.com

The title is a bit misleading as the article only covers Prisco's top 10 free agents. But #5 is what we care most about.

5. Drew Dalman (7th on Prisco's list)​

Position: C | Age: 26 | Season: 5th | Current team: Atlanta Falcons

Drew Dalman was the NFL's fourth-highest graded center last season (78.8 PFF offensive grade) after allowing only two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures allowed in nine games last season while battling through an ankle injury.

Projected landing spot: Bears

Chicago continues to reinforce Caleb Williams' offensive line after he took 68 sacks as a rookie, and they have the cap space to make this move and others.

I got my fingers crossed on this one......

 

[wood20ks]

He maybe on our to do list.....not sure why Washington let him go.....:

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Just learned this from the main board.

Titans to release sack leader Landry, per source

The Titans are releasing linebacker Harold Landry III, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Landry led Tennessee is sacks last season with nine.

www.espn.com

I'm wondering if this is someone who the Poles/Johnson/Allen troika would be interested in going after.

 

[justanidiot]

Just learned this from the main board.

Titans to release sack leader Landry, per source

The Titans are releasing linebacker Harold Landry III, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Landry led Tennessee is sacks last season with nine.

www.espn.com

I'm wondering if this is someone who the Poles/Johnson/Allen troika would be interested in going after.

another 250 pound OLB that does not fit in a 4-3 system. We already have Booker and Hardy as undersized DEnds in this system that will most likely be on the chopping block unless one or both get up to 270 minimum.

 

[wood20ks]

Just learned this from the main board.

Titans to release sack leader Landry, per source

The Titans are releasing linebacker Harold Landry III, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Landry led Tennessee is sacks last season with nine.

www.espn.com

I'm wondering if this is someone who the Poles/Johnson/Allen troika would be interested in going after.

Theres been a run of d-lineman there for the taking,including 2 that wants traded.....Garrett and Hendricks.

It would be kinda sad if we didnt make a play for any of them....

Add Dalman to that mix,its gonna be Jeanty for us at 1.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

another 250 pound OLB that does not fit in a 4-3 system. We already have Booker and Hardy as undersized DEnds in this system that will most likely be on the chopping block unless one or both get up to 270 minimum.

I knew he played in a 3-4, but these days the way defenses are designed, the Edge/Off Ball Linebacker positions, especially at the Will are almost interchangeable. Whether he's a good scheme fit is not for me to conclude. All I know is the man is productive.

 

[justanidiot]

I knew he played in a 3-4, but these days the way defenses are designed, the Edge/Off Ball Linebacker positions, especially at the Will are almost interchangeable. Whether he's a good scheme fit is not for me to conclude. All I know is the man is productive.

as long as the defensive coordinator chooses to build a defense around the talent. Its rare to get a Buddy Ryan or even a Dan Quinn who did what he did in Dallas with Parsons. Parsons was hurt alot last year, and in 13 games had 12 sacks, but 43 total tackles in 13 games? Seems like something changed without Quinn in charge.

When we had Fangio, we ended up with almost 2 years of turning over the roster because he refused to fit the scheme to the player. All I hear about the Detroit defense is they need corners that cover man all day, linebackers that do this, safeties that do that, and Allen is the guy that taught Aaron Glenn. Everfluke came in and swapped back to the 4-3 and brought his linebacker with him to do what he did and got rid of an elite OLB because he did not fit.
What I go back to with Mack was not even getting the opportunity to even have a discussion about his role before he was traded. If we sign or draft outside linebackers to play defensive end, then hopefully that means Allen is going to have a hybrid defense that will fit the talent. That is something we have to wait to see.