Ryan Poles And Bears Are Catching Huge Breaks On The Safety Market
The Chicago Bears go into the 2024 off-season with a clear set of needs. Quarterback is obviously atop that list. Everybody expects GM Ryan Poles to address it with the #1 pick in the draft. After that, most point to edge rusher and wide receiver are the next most pressing issues. Both figure to get lots of attention in free agency and the draft as well. Some will argue center is still a question even after the Bears traded for veteran Ryan Bates. However, one spot that can’t be ignored is safety.
Poles made the tough decision to release Eddie Jackson, ending a productive run for 4th round pick, which included some excellent seasons. Sadly, injuries were catching up to him. Chicago now faces a dilemma. Either they must hope they can find a replacement outside the 1st (and probably 2nd) rounds of the draft, or they must try to find help in free agency. Luckily for them, the rest of the NFL is granting them options thanks to a flurry of moves.
Unrestricted free agents:
- Xavier McKinney
- Julian Blackmon
- Jordan Fuller
- Jordan Whitehead
- Kamren Curl
- Geno Stone
- Darnell Savage
Recent cuts:
- Justin Simmons
- Kevin Byard
- Quandre Diggs
- Jamal Adams
- Rayshawn Jenkins
- Jordan Poyer
- Keanu Neal
Ryan Poles probably knows he can find a bargain.
It is rare to see a market with this sheer amount of name value. Most of the veteran cuts made by other teams were due to a mix of age and expensive contracts. That said, guys like Simmons, Diggs, and Jenkins would all fit Matt Eberflus’ defense well and can still play. Given the stages of their careers, all three should be cheap to acquire. At the same time, their presence in the talent pools will depress the overall market. Supply outweighs the demand. That means if the Bears wanted to make a run at younger options like McKinney or Blackmon, they could probably expect a team-friendly deal.
The thing to remember about Ryan Poles is that he usually has a good idea of where the market is going from year to year. He knew last off-season it was the right time to pounce at linebacker, grabbing Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. That worked out beautifully for the Bears. It is possible he will take a similar approach to safety this year, using the rich market to find a good deal who can help the defense without overpaying. He knows he has a head coach who will be able to make it work.