Chicago Bears Free Agency Sign or Pass: Kelvin Beachum
After spending three seasons with the New York Jets, Kelvin Beachum spent 2020 at right tackle for the Arizona Cardinals. Now, he enters free agency at age 32. Beachum has spent time in his career at left and right tackle. Is he someone that the Chicago Bears would covet in free agency or should they look in another direction?
Projected Contract for Kelvin Beachum in free agency
The contract that Beachum is projected to see could be in the $4.5 million per PFF. That is worth noting because he made just a little over $1 million last season. That is a substantial upgrade. However, over the cap noted that he is valued at closer to $13 million. That is the price you pay for a quality starting tackle, and that is what Beachum provided.
Still, Beachum is also 32 years old, and coming off of the low salary he just played, it could certainly skew lower towards the $4 million side.
Chicago Bears should sign Kelvin Beachum in free agency
The biggest benefit for Beachum is the versatility. He has slotted in at right and left tackle, although mostly at left tackle. Still, when an injury threw him into the fire at right tackle, he handled himself well.
According to PFF, he gave up fewer pressures per snap than any of the Chicago Bears starting tackles. The reality is that Beachum is an upgrade from Jason Spriggs, who was called into action due to injuries and provided minimal production before being injured.
The Bears saw first hand how bad it is to have no tackle depth. Beachum is not a long term solution, but he feels a need and provides depth to a position that needs it.
Chicago Bears should pass on Kelvin Beachum in free agency
Beachum was drafted by the Steelers but left there for a guaranteed starting job and more money. He left the Jets to find a better starting opportunity and found himself in Arizona after they drafted a rookie and needed someone to hold the fort down.
If Beachum views himself as a starter and not a placeholder, he will get paid like a starter. Do the Bears want to give starter money to him? If they draft a rookie who exceeds expectations, will they be able to release Beachum, who likely would want to start elsewhere? If that is the case, why would they sign Beachum as a depth tackle?
He is in the spot where he is just good enough to start, but most teams would like him to be their depth. Whether the Bears will sign him depends on how he views himself from that perspective.
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The Bears should offer him the lower end of that $4 million and should tell him that they still will draft a right tackle if the right one comes.