Chicago Bears: Free Agency Week 1 Recap

3.) Free agent cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox both signed contracts this weekend. Both were former starters for the 49ers and Bears DC Vic Fangio last year and I was pretty confident that the Bears would bring in at least one of these corners in free agency. They both have good size and excel in the press / zone coverage combo that Fangio prefers.

Chris Culliver (27) was PFF’s 14th rated corner last year in his first season as a starter after missing 2013 with an ACL tear. He has good size (6’0 | 200), the strength to play press coverage, experience in the zone and enough speed to play man. Culliver was solid with the 49ers last year, but after only one successful year as a starter I thought the 4 year, $32M contract the Redskins gave him was a bit much. I thought Culliver would be a good fit for the Bears with his experience in Fangio’s scheme and familiarity with DB coach Ed Donatell, but I’m glad the Bears passed on paying $8M per season for a corner with limited starting experience.

Perrish Cox (28) was Fangio’s other starting corner last year and also has good size (5’11 | 195) but only 14 games in the starting lineup. The Titans gave Cox $15M over 3 years. Cox wasn’t as effective as Culliver last year with barely a positive grade from PFF (1.2) which rated him 35th out 64 starting CBs. A backup for most of his career, Cox intercepted 5 passes in his first year as a starter and I think $5M per year is a fair price that I wish the Bears would have paid.

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3.) The Bears are rumored to be scheduling a visit with center Samson Satele from the Dolphins who was rated as the 31st out of 32 starting centers last year according to PFF. Despite Satele’s low overall grade, he had a positive 3.7 run blocking grade which was 18th in the NFL out of 32 starting centers. Satele is a former 2nd round pick who has had an up and down career during his 7 years in the league, but has been a solid run blocker every season except his first. Most likely Satele would be a backup to C Roberto Garza, but at Garza’s age Satele could be starting by week 4-5 if he ends up signing with the Bears. Bears free agent C Brian de la Punete is also a free agent and played very well at center for the Bears last year, but very bad as a guard. Both Satele and de la Puente are similar players statistically with good run blocking ability and struggles in pass pro, but de la Puente is actually a year younger. All things being equal I would rather the Bears bring back de le Puente who played well when Garza was hurt, but it’s possible that Satele may come much cheaper.