Pre-Draft 2017 Free Agent Signings

   With the 2017 draft just 2 days from starting Im ready to give my opinion on the top free agents that the Bears signed with Ryan Pace on the helm. Since I don’t really know how to evaluate a good contract or how to evaluate the cap space going forward, I won’t get to much into that.

   So, Mike Glennon got signed with a contract that reflects he is the starting QB for the Bears this year, giving Jay Cutler the boot out of town. For starters, I don’t see this as an upgrade and the contract for his first year on the team shows he gets more money than Cutler would have got so that’s a negative for me. Glennon deserves a chance to start no doubt as he received a lot of hype the last 2 years as Tampa Bay’s backup QB although now you hear that he isn’t that good to be a starter, so make up your minds already, as for me I say he has enough to get a chance. What I don’t like about him is his zero mobility and therefore needs a good O-line that the Bears lack of in consistent tackles, that is scary as this draft lacks talented plug & play tackles, so the only option I see is to game plan this weakness so he doesn’t have the ball for more than 5 seconds in the pocket, something that a more agile Cutler usually would do. And for those who say that Jimmy Garoppolo would have been a better option because his less of a risk I say nay! because why is he less of a risk? Because of his better stats in 1 and a half games agaist Glennons average stats in 21 games? At the time of the signing, Glennon was cheaper and more experienced than Garoppolo who was sold at a cost of a franchises future with a promising high ceiling.

   So, bottom line is that the Bears organization get what they wanted; a battle tested, good guy, promising starting QB who they can mold in to their system at a “reasonable” price, getting rid of Cutler who they didn’t want any more let it be because he wasn’t liked, didnt fit on their system, injury prone or/and getting old. This gets them a chance to get a young QB to polish whether its Connor Shaw or one at this year’s draft. This is where it gets… interesting.

   If they pick a QB with the 3^rd overall pick, it’s going to be a long 3 months for me. I may scream hell I may even shed a tear or two I don’t know what to expect so I really hope they DON’T DO IT! Only way I can accept drafting a QB in the first round is if they trade down to wherever and get a 2^nd rounder and even better if they use that 2^nd rounder to get back and select a QB they really want instead of using the 1^st pick.

   Back to the free agent signings, I like that they picked up 2 good promising experienced corners with Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper they have good size and have looked good on the field, but to get rid of Tracy Porter was a little surprising for me although I understand that the team is filled with young talent at the position but there is no sure #1 CB. Our best shot is Amukamara although he is as injury prone just as Porter is. Good thing this draft is loaded with promising DBs but how much raw talent can we get on a team and pick the right starters out of the bunch? I believe this is going to take 1 more year to solidify the position but it looks we will get there.

   Quintin Demps will try to do the job that Antrel Rolle couldnt do when he was on the team, to be the experienced, sure tackling leader at the safety position. I feel we will have two SS on the field if Demps gets that assignment and Adrian Amos get the FS spot because I see him more as a punisher that a cover guy so I expect it to be the other way around. If DeAndre Houston-Carson or Deiondre Hall don’t step up I don’t see a deep cover FS on the team.

   I like to think Pace went to the market to get some speed on the WR spot with Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright who are still young and can play slot and outside with good rout running, something we are not getting consistently out of Eddie Royal because of various injuries throughout his 2 years as a Bear. Needless to say, I like these signings, because the speed is needed so that Glennon gets rid of the ball faster. Just hope Wheaton is worth those $11 million, that contract looks awfully like the contract Royal got.

   My favorite signing was Dion Sims who in my eyes looks like a big young menacing double threat TE who got payed yes but I believe it was the fact that Miami didn’t want him to leave thus Chicago broke the bank a bit to persuade him to join the team. I imagine Sims and Zach Miller on opposite ends of the line and I get goose bumps, I love it.

   The rest will battle for positions like re-singed Deonte Thompson against Benny Cunningham for return duties, Tom Compton will have a swing at the swing tackle position (see what I did there?). Chris Prosinski, Sam Acho and Christian Jones get a crack at special teams and backing up at safety, OLB and ILB respectively. Johnthan Banks and John Jenkins will battle for backup duty at CB and DE. B.W. Webb is there too don’t know why really and lastly Mark Sanchez… whatever.