When the NFL's legal tampering period kicked off on Monday, the Chicago Bears wasted no time getting to work.
Almost immediately, it was announced that the team had agreed to terms with the league's top free agent center, Drew Dalman on a 3-year deal.
General manager Ryan Poles was far from done, though. The next notable signing would be on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage, as Chicago went out and attempted to bolster their defensive line.
The Bears' signing Dayo Odeyingbo is more of an expensive lottery ticket than a sure thing
Chicago agreed to sign Dayo Odeyingbo to a 3-year, $48 million contract ($32 million guaranteed) which would effectively place him into the starting rotation opposite Montez Sweat.
The deal, in and of itself, is a tough one to figure out.
On one hand, it fills a need. But on the other, the contract looks extremely overpriced.
After coming off a season-high 8.0 sacks in 2023 (with only one start), Odeyingbo started 14 games for the Indianapolis Colts last year and tallied just 3.0.
Now, to appease the "sacks don't tell the whole story" crowd, I'll dive in further. Per Pro Football Focus, Odeyingbo was a fairly effect pass rusher by way of obtaining pressures. He notched a total of 42 last season.
Odeyingbo was also 8th among defensive ends with 13 quarterback hits. So, he may not have brought the quarterback down as much as he did the year prior. But, he was still effective in putting pressure on the passer and disrupting plays.
The salary cap continues to rise, which also makes this deal difficult to grade overall. An annual average of $16 million feels like a lot of money. But, at the same time, the Bears were left without many top-tier options at the position in free agency.
Now, Poles can go into the draft with more flexibility. The Bears would be smart to still draft a defensive end. But, they get the luxury of not necessarily having to lock in at one position in the first round.
Let's give this move a 'C' for now, solely based on the fact that it looks like an overpay at first glance.