Kevin Byard leaves the Bears for deal that should not have led to his exit

Heading toward free agency, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles made it abundantly clear re-signing Kevin Byard was a top priority. But the legal tampering window can be a fickle beast.

As Day 2 of the free agent negotiating period got going, and after the Bears had agreed to terms with safety Coby Bryant, the idea Byard could be gone surfaced. It was hard to see how the two would fit together in the same secondary, which at least one analyst subsequently confirmed.

Alas, as the official start of the league year approached, it happened. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Byard has agreed to a one-year, $9 million deal with the New England Patriots.

Coming off an All-Pro season where he led the league with seven interceptions, and at 32 years old, Byard seemed well-positioned to cash in with one last nice multi-year deal. But the eye test last season did show some broader warts in coverage, and it's fair to assume teams were able to turn on the tape and see that when they did their free agent vetting.

Still one year for $9 million, likely with less than that fully guaranteed pending the specific terms of the contract coming out, lands as a great bargin for the Patriots.

Kevin Byard leaves Bears for a contract that should not have led to his exit

Based on Poles' repeated comments, it's hard to believe the Bears didn't offer Byard at least a one-year deal worth $10 million while they had sole negotiating ability (above-board, anyway). But any free agent can and should see what might be out there on the open market, and Byard/his agent may have thought they could do better than whatever the Bears offered.

Then, once the Bears pivoted to signing Bryant, knowing they couldn't wait to fill the void with all of their top safeties being free agents, the shipped had sailed on a return to Chicago.

Byard spent the first seven-plus seasons of his career (2016-2023) with the Tennessee Titans. Mike Vrabel was the head coach there from 2018 through when Byard was traded in 2023, and he's now of course the Patriots' head coach. So it's a reunion, and it makes sense for both sides.

Read more: Bears' insider expects free agency outcome that had seemed impossible

Ultimately, Byard may have miscalculated the entirety of the market for his services. The Bears, if they had an offer on the table, couldn't sit on their hands to see how it played out for him. So he's gone, for the type of contract it was hard to envision leading to his departure.