Chicago Bears: Free Agency Day 1

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Impact Signings

1.) The Arizona Cardinals sign All-Pro G Mike Iupati from the 49ers. I thought Iupati may have been on the Bears radar with John Fox’s preference for a power running game, but his $8.5M per year price tag may have been too steep.

2.) Underrated SS Da’Norris Searcy, who I thought would have been a great fit with the Bears, has signed with the Tennessee Titans.

3.) FS Chris Conte is visiting the Bucs today. Is Lovie Smith really trying to reunite the legendary Major Wright / Chris Conte combo? I feel so bad for Bucs fans. 

4.) The Bears were reportedly the 2nd choice of TE Virgil Green but he decided to stay with the Broncos. Green is already a solid blocker who I think is going to have a breakout season in 2015. Unfortunately it won’t be with the Bears.

5.) The Green Bay Packers have re-signed RT Bryan Bulaga. It was a long shot but I was hoping maybe the Bears could steal him away from the Packers and shore up the right tackle position. On a brighter note, the Packers did lose promising CB Davon House to the Jacksonville Jaguars on a 4-year, $25M deal. 

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6.) In my least favorite news of the day, the Washington Redskins have signed former Bears DT Stephen Paea. The former 2nd round pick didn’t live up to his immense potential with the Bears until last season. He spent the first few years of his Bears career struggling with a toe injury, but was finally healthy in 2014 and was arguably the Bears best defense player. Paea had 5 sacks on the season and finished 2nd on the Bears with 31 QB hurries. It’s possible Paea gets his money and goes back to being hurt all the time, but I thought he had the talent to be a force in Vic Fangio’s scheme and wanted the Bears to keep him. The potential silver lining is that letting Paea go may free up enough money for the Bears to sign Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton.