In his first year on the job in 2022, Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles spent much of his time tearing down the roster he inherited. This allowed him to enter the 2023 free agency period with the most salary-cap space in the NFL, and while Poles didn't go on the kind of insane shopping spree that many expected, he wasn't afraid to open the checkbook for quality players.
How have the Bears' free-agent signings fared this season? With five games left, I figured it'd be a good time to issue some grades.
Let's go.
Tremaine Edmunds, LB
Considered by many analysts to be the big fish of the linebacker free agency market, Edmunds hasn't quite had the season many expected.
Edmunds had a slow start to the season, not making much of an impact, but he's steadily improved since Week 5. Edmunds has been fantastic in coverage, often erasing the entire middle of the field with his massive frame and deceptive speed. He's intercepted the ball twice, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble in his last five games.
He may not be living up to the 4-year, $72 million contract he signed just yet, but his vast improvement can't be denied. Hopefully, he can continue to improve in this defense and become the leader he was signed to be.
Grade: C+
TJ Edwards, LB
The first linebacker signed by Poles this offseason, Edwards has taken the NFL by storm. He's tied for third in tackles this season with 127 and is on pace to shatter Brian Urlacher's single-season franchise record.
Like Edmunds, Edwards has two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He's proven smart in his pass coverage and run support, rarely missing an opportunity to finish the play.
The cherry on top is his contract: 3-years, $19.5 million. It's an absolute steal of a contract for the Chicago Bears. Poles knocked this one out of the park.
Grade: A+
Andrew Billings, DL
Another delightful surprise among Poles' free agency signings has been Billings. He's been a key part in turning a dreadful, league-worst run defense into arguably the best unit in the league.
Billings doesn't stuff the stat sheet, but that's not what he was brought to Chicago to do. He was signed to plug up running lanes, take on double teams, and collapse pockets, and that's exactly what he's done.
He's been such a big contributor to this defense that he's already earned a contract extension, signing a new 2-year, $8 million deal just last month, which honestly still feels like not nearly enough. But it's by far the best deal with the most guaranteed money he signed in the NFL, and he earned every penny.
Grade: A
Nate Davis, OG
This one is hard to grade. Davis was absent through much of training camp and early in the year due to a death in his family. He's also struggled with injuries, too.
So far, Davis has played in just six games, and like Edmunds, his play underwhelmed early in the year. And despite recent improvement, expectations remain higher for Davis than we've seen. He was signed to a 3-year, $30 million contract, and he hasn't lived up to it.
This signing has been a bit of a dud so far, but it's hard to grade a season that's been dealt with as much hardship as Davis's.
Still, from a purely on-field perspective, Davis must improve.
Grade: C-
D'Onta Foreman, RB
One thing that head coach Matt Eberflus has not yet had to answer for, but absolutely should, is why D'Onta Foreman was inactive for the first five weeks of the season.
Foreman has been an absolute stud for the Bears. He's averaged 4.1 yards per carry in the seven games he's played and has scored five total touchdowns. His worst game was against Detroit when no one was getting much done on the ground.
He missed the Vikings game with an ankle injury, but he has been able to practice over the bye week, so that's a good sign for his availability going forward.
Poles signed Foreman to a 1-year, $3 million deal this offseason. The Bears should try to keep him around for 2024.
Grade: A
Yannick Ngakoue, DE
This signing excited me most when it happened just before the season started. Sadly, Ngakoue has not come close to living up to his billing. He's only registered three sacks and a handful of tackles.
Poles signed Ngakoue to a 1-year, $10.5 million contract in August. It's highly unlikely Ngakoue will return to the Chicago Bears in 2024. If he does, it'll be at a greatly reduced price.
Grade: D
DeMarcus Walker, DL
Walker is another defensive lineman who hasn't made much of an impact, but if we're being realistic, he wasn't expected to significantly boost the team. However, some Bears fans wonder if he's being played out of position on the edge. Maybe he'd be better if Chicago kicked him inside.
Either way, just 1.5 sacks and single-digit tackles don't cut it. And at $21 million for three years, this signing is looking like a flop.
Grade: F
Cole Kmet, TE
Maybe this one's cheating a bit. Kmet was signed to a contract extension before the start of the 2023 season, which made him the ninth-highest-paid tight end in the NFL. At this point, it's already possible he's outplayed that contract.
Kmet is in the midst of his best season yet, pulling in 56 receptions for 482 yards and five touchdowns, and there are still five games to go. He's also a locker room leader and a fantastic asset in pass and run blocking.
Best of all, Kmet has never missed a game in his NFL career. The best ability is availability, and Kmet gets perfect marks in this category. He's earned every penny of his new contract, making this an easy grade.
Grade: A+
Overall, I must give this class of free-agent acquisitions a B+. While there have been a couple of disappointments like Davis and Ngakoue, I think the positives far outweigh the negatives, especially the signings of Kmet, Edwards, and Billings. Bears fans should feel confident that Ryan Poles has an eye for talent and will continue bringing in the best players possible.
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