Chicago Bears: Grading their free agency moves thus far

Free agency is off and running for the Chicago Bears. Sadly for those rabid fans out there, they didn’t exactly come out swinging.

Then again anybody with common sense knew they weren’t going to. The Bears came into 2019 with far less money to spend. This is courtesy of their spending spree the year before which netted them Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Trey Burton, and of course Khalil Mack. Not to mention extensions for Kyle Fuller, Prince Amukamara, and Eddie Goldman. There’s only so much money a team has to throw around.

Chicago spent a good deal more locking up right tackle Bobby Massie a few weeks ago. By the time the legal tampering window opened on March 11th, they had somewhere around $18.5 million left. That’s not a lot given the number of roster spots they have open. So the dream of them landing another big name on the market seemed a bit unrealistic. Thus far their opening moves would indicate as much.

Even so, how have they done thus far? Here are some quick snap grade for each signing on day one.

Ben Braunecker (TE): 2-year deal, $2.7 million

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It became clear that Braunecker had carved out a spot for himself on the Bears roster in 2018. Not only did he make a couple of nice catches on offense in relief of Trey Burton. He was a fixture on special teams. Nothing about this deal says they overpaid. It’s a solid number for a young depth player who’s a key part of their third phase. Grade: B

Mike Davis (RB): 2-year deal, $6 million

Determining this signing depends heavily on what the Bears intend for him. If they want Davis to be their feature back to replace Jordan Howard? It’s going to feel like a downgrade. However, if it’s one part of a series of moves in their backfield in order to form a committee? That’s different. Davis showcased considerable talent in 2018 for Seattle. He runs with energy, quickness, and authority while also having a nice pair of hands for catching passes. Grade: C+

Buster Skrine (CB): 3-year deal, $16.5 million

It became clear the Bears were going to lose Bryce Callahan when Skrine was signed. There’s no question the former Jets slot corner has been as effective as his predecessor recently, but the amount of hate for him seems a bit excessive. Skrine struggles in coverage at times. However, he has good moments, brings ability as a blitz, is durable and came at a relatively cheap price. Under a defensive back specialist like Chuck Pagano, he may have more value than you think. Grade C+

None of these moves will blow anybody away. It’s unlikely they’ll move the needle much for the Bears. Still, this game is about having as much good depth as possible. That’s what each of those players signed represent. Solid depth pieces at key positions.

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