Day 1 of the legal tampering period for the NFL has ended, and the Chicago Bears were no doubt one of the most active teams in the league.
They knocked it out of the park with multiple signings, including safety Coby Bryant, Devin Bush, and Neville Gallimore. Chicago also brought back key players from last season with Case Keenum and D'Marco Jackson.
While there is still work that needs to be done, Bears general manager Ryan Poles seems to be on the right path as he's gotten a lot of good talent onto the team. Let's take a look at who the biggest winners and losers were from the first day of the legal tampering period.
Winner: Case Keenum, QB
Cause....why not? Keenum is locked in with a two-year, $8 million deal and could end up being the backup to Caleb Williams after all the trade rumors surrounding Tyson Bagent to teams like the Arizona Cardinals or New York Jets. It's good to have Keenum back, and he gets a good payday despite being 38.
Loser: Montez Sweat, DE
The biggest need for this Bears roster was the pass rusher after just 35 sacks last year, as Montez Sweat saved them from it being worse with his team-leading 10. Sweat would benefit the most from having another great edge rusher on the team, and while the Bears loaded up at linebacker and safety, Daniel Hardy was the only defensive end signed, and he was brought back from last year's team. Bears fans are hoping for something to come soon at edge rusher, as Sweat needs help.
Winner: Ryan Poles, General Manager
Even with the lack of focus on edge rushers on Day 1, Poles had a strong opening day. He brought in a lot of really solid starting-caliber players to join the defense in Chicago, as well as brought back key players like Braxton Jones on the offensive line. Overall, while he didn't make many splash signings, Poles added plenty of starters to a defense that badly needed it.
Read more: Bears made the $30 million move to forget about Tremaine Edmunds
Winner: Dennis Allen, Defensive Coordinator
Dennis Allen made the most with one of the weakest defenses in the NFL last year, despite leading the league in takeaways with 33. Poles heard what the Bears needed and went to work on adding a ton of talent, with all outside free agents being on defense. Allen has more toys to play with on defense, as the unit improved significantly in 2026.