The Bears will emerge from the opening of free agency having added Mike Glennon, Dion Sims, Markus Wheaton and Will Demps, but Thursday didn’t go according to plan for the franchise, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago attempted to use its boatload of cap space to sign more established players, including top cornerback Stephon Gilmore and A.J. Bouye and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, but the team swung and missed on all counts. While the Bears looked like the favorites to ink Gilmore as recently as Tuesday, he instead joined the Patriots on a mega-deal. Meanwhile, prior to landing his own enormous payday with the Jaguars, Bouye didn’t even give the Bears serious consideration, a source told Biggs.
Like Bouye, Jeffery had no interest in signing with the Bears, multiple sources informed Biggs. He ultimately took a one-year, $14MM offer from the Eagles to leave Chicago, where he spent the first five seasons of his career and emerged as one of the NFL’s top pass catchers.
Should the Bears could continue scouring the open market for potential solutions at either position, some appealing options remain in a dwindling class of free agents. Logan Ryan, Prince Amukamara and Morris Claiborne are among the league’s still-unsigned corners, while Terrelle Pryor is the best wideout without a contract. It’s unclear, though, whether the Bears are interested in any of those players.
Does this surprise anyone? Why would anyone who actually WANTS to win a championship ever sign with this mess of a franchise??
You can say that again.
Does this surprise anyone? Why would anyone who actually WANTS to win a championship ever sign with this mess of a franchise??
Does this surprise anyone? Why would any player who actually WANTS to play for a championship team ever sign with this mess of a franchise?
Does this surprise anyone? Why would any player who wants to WIN ever sign with this mess of a franchise?
With the head of the NFL PA on record saying he’s going to persuade players not to sign with Chicago, it’s not hard to believe they weren’t able to make big signings
I was wondering if that was going to have an impact but nobody was talking about it all since it came to light a month ago. It could also just be that the Bears and their inept FO aren’t a big prime destination but between these two issues it makes more sense why they missed out on FAs and why they overpaid for Glennon.
Why would they unless the Bears absolutely blew the other teams out the water with their offer? The Bears are a 3-13 team with coaching uncertainty. The last part can’t be understated. Players want to know who their boss is going to be. They want to know that a new boss isn’t going to come in and install a different scheme that doesn’t suit their abilities. This is especially true in the NFL where the lack of guaranteed money makes most every player easy to cut loose if they don’t perform.
Not happy with what the Bears today. That being said, they all take the most money no matter the team. Inflammatory article meant to sell newspapers.
It’s not always about the money for 5 to 10 million more come play with the Bears or go to the Patriots not a hard decision
Bears really chit the bed today no one cornerback
Also it’s Quintin Demps, not Will.
Well. Watch Alshon next season. The Bears may dump John Fox after this season and a homecoming to a new coaching staff on a mid level contract (4y40m20gt)
I’m really dissapointed in the entire front office honestly. This free agency period has been pathetic. We were favorites to add playmakers. Gilmore himself said chi-town wasn’t serious enough at all? Wtf is Ryan Pace sitting on that buttload of cap space? besides overpay a QB who hasn’t prived he can win in this league. What is the chicago bears identity now? I honestly don’t blame Alshon for dipping to Philadelphia for a pretty good 1 year prove it contract. I’m hoping da bears can actually do something this year but it’s looking very poorly right now .