The first day of NFL Free Agency may not have gone exactly how the Chicago Bears were anticipating.
While the Bears were able to get a deal done with running back D'Andre Swift at the start of free agency, the team was quiet for the remainder of the day. The Bears continued their emphasis on improving the offensive side of the ball on the second day of free agency as they added veteran tight end Gerald Everett.
More reporting is emerging from the pursuits that the Bears had elsewhere.
Prior to free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis signing a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars worth $39MM, the Bears offered a similar deal to the former Buffalo Bills' receiver.
Gabe Davis had a similar offer from the Bears but went with the #Jaguars, per a source close to the situation. The Bills couldn't make a competitive offer.
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) March 12, 2024
Davis wanted to go back to Florida. He can work with former Bills WRs coach Chad Hall. QB Trevor Lawrence. helps, too.
It's becoming clear that the Bears are adding playmakers to their offense. What remains to be seen is if that is to support the ideology of the team building their offense around fourth-year quarterback Justin Fields, similarly to what the Philadelphia Eagles have done with Jalen Hurts, or if these moves are being done to create a safety net for Caleb Williams.
The Chicago Bears are looking for an upgrade at wide receiver.
After a 2022 season where Davis had 836 receiving yards and seven touchdowns with the Bills, there was a belief that 2023 may be the season when he supplants Stefon Diggs as the team's primary receiver. Davis, however, regressed in the Bills' offense last season as his yards per game dropped by 12 yards.
A name to monitor may be former Cincinnati Bengals' wide receiver Tyler Boyd. Boyd has been stuck behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgs with the Bengals and could represent a significant upgrade over Darnell Mooney as the opposite receiver to D.J. Moore for the Bears.