The Chicago Bears entered free agency with the most cap space to spend in the NFL. They wasted very little time getting to work, as they were one of the first teams to agree to a deal with a free agent.
Chicago agreed to a contract with linebacker T.J. Edwards, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles. It is reportedly a three-year deal worth $19.5 million with $13 million guaranteed. After that, the Bears got to work improving the offensive line in front of Justin Fields.
Chicago worked out a three-year deal with guard Nate Davis, filling another major hole on the roster. With their next signing, they went back to the defensive side of the ball and added another impact player.
The Bears have agreed to a massive contract with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds of the Buffalo Bills. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Edmunds agreed to a frontloaded four-year, $72 million deal with $50 million guaranteed.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Edmunds and the Bears agreed to the largest four-year contract for an inside linebacker in NFL history. Given his age, as he will be only 25 in August, and his production with the Bills in 2022, if anyone was going to reset the inside linebacker market, it was Edmunds.
He was excellent in pass coverage last season with a success rate of 74 percent. He was about league average as a run defender, but for a Bears defense that was so porous in 2022, Edmunds is a massive upgrade across the board.
Chicago was making it a point to upgrade the next level of their defense as they not only signed Edwards and Edmunds but were also connected to Bobby Okereke of the Indianapolis Colts. Shoring up things on that side of the ball is imperative if the Bears have any hopes of starting to turn things around and find more success in 2023.
