Chicago Bears 2017 Free Agency is a failure already

You usually are supposed to wait a year or two before grading drafts or free agent hauls. However, it is going to be quick and easy to give the Chicago Bears 2017 Free Agent class an F.

This is not an article centered around taking shots at Ryan Pace. It looks like he has had back to back good drafts, and in 2016, he signed Akiem Hicks and Danny Trevathan, two of the best starters on the team. He also signed Jerrell Freeman, who was a good signing in theory and has a contract easy to get out of next season.

However, this 2017 free agency class is going to be a red mark and may set the team back into making 2018 a pressure-packed group for the General Manager. Let’s break down all of the signings, and see what they can get out of any of this.

Mike Glennon- Three Years/$45 Million, $18.5 Million Guaranteed

We all know the results of Glennon and we all that the Bears will be cutting Glennon shortly. Even with being able to get out of his deal for the long term this deal is clearly a huge failure and a bad look all the way around.

We know the arguments. They didn’t have big money invested in quarterback anyways, even with a first-round pick on board. He is a bridge player on a contract easy to get out of, why not?

Because you just stunted the progression of the quarterback you spent the second pick in the NFL draft on. Whether Glennon started in the first couple of weeks of the season or not, Mitchell Trubisky needed starter chances in training camp and in the preseason. That is much more valuable than watching Mike Glennon. They acted like Glennon had a chance to be the future for about four months.

Trubisky proved that he is ready for NFL play, he is just a few months of NFL development behind. Where could he have made that time up? The Bears could have spent $5 million for one season of Brian Hoyer and have gotten a more experienced quarterback who knows his job is to set up Trubisky to start. Glennon is competing to keep all of that contract he signed in for. It is a debacle and is an anchor even if the rest of the class had been producing.

Prince Amukamara and Kendall Wright

These two have easily been the best signings. Both of them have turned into starters, Amukamara may be able to carve another contract out of this. However, this is the issue with this class.

Marcus Cooper and Markus Wheaton

The problem is, the team invested more years and dollars into Cooper and Wheaton. Why? In terms of name value, Amukamara and Wright are first round picks. It is not like either is living up to that billing, but the two had name value.

Instead, they tried to sneak Marcus Cooper and Markus Wheaton off of winning teams, even though the two were the weakest links in their respective unit. Wheaton played like he was hardly even trying on Sunday, which makes sense as to why Josh Bellamy somehow is getting snaps over him. Cooper gave up a touchdown to Marvin Jones during his limited time on the field. Both will be cut this offseason and will cost the $1.75 Million in 2018, and $500K in 2019.

Dion Sims

Sims has been injured, which is unfair to grade him. However, he should be back this week and has six weeks to justify that he should be the only free agent who stays on the team past 2017. Sims has a dead cap hit of roughly $600K next season and $300K the following year. He has a 50% catch rate, and he has not been a game changer in the run game as a blocker. Adam Shaheen is already a better commodity than him, so his role moving forward should be in question.

Quintin Demps

Demps is out for the season which is a tough break. However, it is really hard to see him sticking around next season. Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson have been a nice blend, and they already have a bunch of young safeties on the team and on the practice squad behind them. Demps is 32 and they will save about $4

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million over the next two seasons. It is safe to say he is gone.

Tom Compton

Lastly is Tom Compton, and you do not even need me to address his impact this season.

The fact of the matter is that they now have to decide whether or not to sign their two best free agents in 2017 again in 2018. That is never the position in which you want to be in. The team has a four-year window here where they have Mitchell Trubisky on a rookie scale contract. To put together two strong drafts is huge. But, if they do not put together a much better group of free agents than this than it is going to be a major issue and one that may turn Ryan Pace’s seat hotter.

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