Day 41 of the Chicago Bears offseason. February was a tough month for me, personally, so I am gladly flipping the page to March. And what better way to do that than with a BN Bears Bullets in which I empty the notebook of things that I wanted to write about last week but didn’t get around to putting down?
With NFL free agency opening up in a few weeks, I’ll be keeping my eyes open for posts like this one from PFF that highlight under-the-radar players. After being big spenders in the most recent offseasons, the Bears are in a place where they should be bargain hunting for fits. Stories that dig a little deeper into the free agent pool should be in our wheelhouse as fans. This particular Pro Football Focus piece sticks out to me because there are a pair of safeties (Ar’Darius Washington, Jaylinn Hawkins) who could make sense for Chicago if things don’t progress with All-Pro free agent Kevin Byard III. Speaking of Byard, this is what the Trib’s Brad Biggs has to say about what the safety’s market could look like:I get the sense there’s optimism a deal can be struck after his All-Pro season. After he earned $15 million over the last two seasons, I’d expect Byard to get a raise, maybe close to $10 million annually. I don’t think he wants to start over with a rebuilding team, so if he’s taking offers from other teams, he will prioritize winners. Byard had a good relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel when they were together in Tennessee. If the Bears can’t get something done with Byard, the best safety headed to market is the Indianapolis Colts’ Nick Cross, according to a sampling of pro scouts. A contract for Cross could approach $15 million per season.
Hmm. I hadn’t thought about the Patriots as a fit. But with the aforementioned Jaylinn Hawkins hitting free agency and Byard’s connection to Pats Head Coach Mike Vrabel, that is a fit that makes sense. To be clear, I’d prefer Byard stick around and be a leader on the field and in the locker room. However, if he leaves for a team that is also a good fit then I won’t be mad about it. Instead, I’ll thank him for his efforts in helping the Bears reach new heights in 2025. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn ImagesCHECK OUT THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
The Byard situation splits me in two. On the one hand, I’d like for the Bears to keep a valued veteran who is a team captain and still playing at a high level. But on the other hand, business is business. If Byard can cash one last major paycheck, and it happens to be with another team, then I have no problem with it — so long as the Bears find a suitable replacement. Even with that being said, Biggs maintains there is optimism that the Bears and Byard can strike a deal. Hence, I’m not freaking out about the potential of losing him in free agency just yet. The Vikings are planning to part ways with running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave as the team climbs its way out of being more than $40 million over the cap. ESPN reports the team could also cut ties with defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and center Ryan Kelly, who were part of the team’s splashy offseason additions last offseason. There is a part of me that is envious that Chicago didn’t create quick outs for the disappointing defensive linemen signings that were made last offseason. But I’m still holding out hope that defensive tackle Grady Jarrett ($18.925M cap number in 2026) can be a useful piece of the puzzle this upcoming season. But if things don’t work out, the Bears can cut him next offseason and create $13.5 million in cap space while getting dinged with just a $4 million dead money hit. A report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler includes a mention that Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery would be open to moving on to another team, adding that the team could seek a “decent” Day 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. New like this might lead some Bears fans to think that a Montgomery return could make sense. However, I can’t imagine the Bears making that type of trade with a divisional rival. But with Lions GM Brad Holmes saying in January that the team would consider a Monty trade, I suppose anything could happen. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)FOLLOW BN BEARS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Twitter | BlueSky
Oh, my! Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio hears that some folks around the league expect Packers free agent quarterback Malik Willis to get a contract that could pay him up to $25 million per year. Someone is going to take a major roll of the dice here — and it will likely help net Green Bay a compensatory pick in a future NFL Draft. Go figure. CBS Sports places NFL coaches in tiers based on the grades that were handed out in the recently shared NFPLA player survey. That Jets Head Coach Aaron Glenn received an “A” grade despite a chaotic first season with the team suggests that perhaps we should give him a chance to right the ship. After all, trying to clean up a messy Jets situation was always going to be wonky for a first-time head coach.MORE BEARS FROM BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad-Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter
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