The Chicago Bears didn’t do anything too crazy in free agency last week. However, the national media appears to hate one decision that General Manager Ryan Poles made just before the start of the league new year.
The Chicago Bears signed Kevin Byard
The Bears replaced safety Eddie Jackson with All-Pro veteran safety Kevin Byard. Byard didn’t play his best Football in Philadelphia last season, but he consistently succeeded with the Tennessee Titans before they traded him to the Eagles last season.
Ryan Poles’ decision to sign Byard is called “impulsive”
The 30-year-old defender signed a two-year deal worth $15 million with Chicago. $7.5 million a year for a two-time All-Pro defender with much to give doesn’t seem like something to make a fuss about. However, the consensus of several ESPN “experts” who discussed the most questionable moves in free agency labeled Byard’s signing as one of the worst this offseason.
Fowler thought the signing was an “impulsive” move by Poles because he made the decision before the free-agency negotiation period started last Monday:
“Safety Kevin Byard to the Bears. Byard has had a great career, but jumping out pre-free agency with $15 million over two years seemed impulsive, especially with Justin Simmons and Quandre Diggs still out there in an oversaturated safety market. For contrast, Kamren Curl, who is five years younger, signed for $8.75 million over two years, with upside to $12.75 million.”
Is Byard washed?
Jason Reid and Jordan Reid thought the Bears could have signed a younger safety who came off a better season:
“Jason Reid, senior Andscape writer: Byard to the Bears. The Bears bucked the trend of teams moving on from veteran safeties, signing Byard, who turns 31 in August, after he was cut by the Eagles. Hoping he would be a big part of another Super Bowl run, the Eagles acquired Byard at last season’s trade deadline, but the secondary was a mess down the stretch. Obviously, Byard shouldn’t be blamed for all of the Eagles’ coverage issues, but there’s no sugarcoating it: He didn’t play well and, then, got a sizable deal from the Bears.
Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst: Byard to the Bears. The safety market was very good entering free agency, and there were much better and younger fits for the Bears to sign. Considering the amount of cap space they had prior to that signing, there seemed to be better fits than the aging Byard.”
Philadelphia’s defense had many problems last season, and many of the problems were with its coaching staff. That staff saw first-year defensive coordinator Sean Desai replaced by Matt Patricia as the defensive play-caller in the middle of their losing streak toward the end of the season. Both of those coaches are gone this offseason, with Desai fired and Patricia not getting a new contract.
Byard should improve in head coach Matt Eberflus’ scheme in Chicago when grouped with a defense that is starting to get elite.
Was it an overpay? Maybe, but the Bears added a quality veteran to the secondary and have the flexibility to add a rookie replacement in the next two drafts.
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