The Bears 2025 Free Agency Thread

[Lake Shore Drive]

The house cleaning begins:

Bears Release Gerald Everett, DeMarcus Walker

The Bears are releasing tight end Gerald Everett and defensive end DeMarcus Walker.

www.profootballrumors.com

Neither one a shocker, in fact both were expected to be released. And that last line....More to come.

 

[BearsWillWin]

I thought Everett was a good signing as a #2 TE

That turned out to be ridiculously wrong

He was straight up awful

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Here's an article from USA Today listing the top 15 free agents who could hit the open market next month:

NFL free agency: Tee Higgins, Sam Darnold lead top free agents on offense

Free agency is nearly here and multiple players could change teams. Here are our top 15 players on offense.

www.usatoday.com

Key players pertaining to the Bears OL needs and per their ranking:

3. Trey Smith - He remains the top OL on the market. Sucked in the playoffs, but a great regular season makes him the most in demand and he'll rake with his next contract.
4. Ronnie Stanley - Feels like he's been in the league for 20 years, yet he'll only be 31 this coming season. He's had injury issues, but last year he was healthy and made the Pro Bowl.
6. Drew Dalman - Top center on the market, assuming he's ok physically, he's my top get. I'm sick of poor center play from our team.
8. Will Fries - Pretty much the same as Dalman, if health is no concern, he could be a fit on the inside.
10. Mekhi Becton - As I've stated in a previous thread, here's your poor man's Trey Smith. If the budget's running a bit tight, he could be had for half the price tag of Smith.
12. Josh Myers - If Dalman doesn't work out for whatever reasons, how about this guy? It would be nice to take one from the Packers.
15. Tevin Jenkins - When healthy, he's a mauler, but that questionable health seems like it will always be an annual issue. It's looking like the Bears are gonna let him walk.

 

[Jiddy]

Saturday morning reality check:

We have 4 line positions that currently don't have starter quality players (C, LG, RG, DE)...It could be argued 5 depending on your take on Billings at DT.

That's a LOT to overcome. Even if we do a great job at filling those spots, they'll all be playing together as a new unit so growing pains will be felt. Just too many holes for that to not happen. I don't give a sh*t if George Halas and Vince Lombardi rose from the grave and coached us up.

Not that richi won't pick us to win 12 games again...lol.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

Saturday morning reality check:

We have 4 line positions that currently don't have starter quality players (C, LG, RG, DE)...It could be argued 5 depending on your take on Billings at DT.

That's a LOT to overcome. Even if we do a great job at filling those spots, they'll all be playing together as a new unit so growing pains will be felt. Just too many holes for that to not happen. I don't give a sh*t if George Halas and Vince Lombardi rose from the grave and coached us up.

Not that richi won't pick us to win 12 games again...lol.

No doubt that even if Poles is able to fill all four open OL positions, as you stated, there would undoubtedly be some growing pains involved. As for Billings, even if he's back at full strength, this is his last season under contract. The chances of extending him are probably slim. This is why I believe the DT spot needs to be addressed, likely via the draft.

And I can't make too much fun of richi, being I stupidly called for the Bears to win 10 last year. I definitely won't be repeating that again.

 

[justanidiot]

Hard to believe Darnold is ranked so high after falling on his face in the playoffs. Most thought that cost him about 20 million per season off the "going rate".
Lots of interesting players, Becton got moved inside last season, its going to be interesting if somebody offers him tackle money and go out there again on a short deal to try to cash in again in a year or two. Jenkins is about the same way, most likely still wants to be a guard, just wonder if the injury bug stuck around because he was playing a hand down get low position over being a tackle again. I would guess his agent is looking at him getting a shot at tackle again as well.
All I know is Poles tried to build the line thru free agency last year and failed, so he better aim high and count on the draft.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

All I know is Poles tried to build the line thru free agency last year and failed, so he better aim high and count on the draft.

I think it's safe to say it will be a combination of the two. Filling three, possibly even four vacancies on the OL going with just either/or won't cut it. Free agency will likely be too expensive to fill all the spots, unless Poles takes the cheapo route, which I hope he doesn't. And zero chance of drafting 3-4 starters. FTR I don't see Jones getting busted down to reserve, altho it's possible he could get shifted inside, depending on who Poles signs or drafts.

 

[BearsWillWin]

Jenkins is about the same way, most likely still wants to be a guard, just wonder if the injury bug stuck around because he was playing a hand down get low position over being a tackle again

Sometimes I read this type of shit and I just wonder how dumb the person is that typed it.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Becton showed he is best at guard.

Don't sign him to be a tackle....

 

[DJ Fieri]

I think it's safe to say it will be a combination of the two. Filling three, possibly even four vacancies on the OL going with just either/or won't cut it. Free agency will likely be too expensive to fill all the spots, unless Poles takes the cheapo route, which I hope he doesn't. And zero chance of drafting 3-4 starters. FTR I don't see Jones getting busted down to reserve, altho it's possible he could get shifted inside, depending on who Poles signs or drafts.

Very smart post.