Chicago Bears: 10 Worst Free Agent Signings in Team History
The Chicago Bears have such a long and storied history that we sometimes forget that the team hasn't won a Super Bowl in 26 years and that there have been dark moments in the team's decision-making process.
2010 was a good year, at least up until the NFC Championship game, and hey, George "Papa Bear" Halas practically invested the league.
Heck, no team has more Hall-of-Famers or retired numbers.
Still, there is a reason why this team has failed to win consistently since the glory days of the Monsters of the Midway despite a supportive and rabid fanbase.
It's called bad management. And that bad management has resulted in some really questionable signings.
Let's take a look at 10 of those signings.
10. Frank Omiyale
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Omiyale signed a four-year, $14 million deal in February of 2009. He had been waived by the Falcons back in '07 and had signed with the Panthers.
So, despite being inactive the entire 2007 season and playing unspectacular ball in 2008, GM Jerry Angelo simply had to have him.
Well, he's not higher on this list because at least he has contributed and technically, could still help the team as he is still employed by the Bears.
But he's also on this list because he just isn't very good at blocking opponents. If he starts in 2011 the Bears offensive line is in trouble.
9. Phillip Daniels
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Daniels signed with the Bears prior to the 2000 season and played for them until 2003. While he did contribute as a fairly effective run stopper, he clearly never came close to providing the pass rush the team expected when they signed him.
The defensive end was signed to be a pass rusher but he was really never that disruptive. His best season was 2001 when he had nine sacks, but Daniels had only eight sacks combined the next two years, despite playing in 29 games.
Again, not a horrible player by any means, but disappointing, especially considering that the Bears paid him what was a fairly large sum of money back then.
8. Alonzo Spellman
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Alright, technically he was the Bears own free agent, but since he did hit the free agent market, and the Bears matched an offer, I'll call it a free agent signing.
Plus, I needed to total an even 10 so sue me.
Meanwhile, the Bears matched a four year, $12 million offer from Jacksonville prior to the 1996 season. Yes he had enormous talent but he had also displayed the propensity to disappear for games on end.
But Dave Wannstedt and his staff thought they could "fix" what was wrong. Well, they were wrong.
He did well at times that year but played in only seven games the following year and was gone after the 1997 season. He ended up being diagnosed with bipolar disease.
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7. Muhsin Mohammad
4 of 10
One cannot really blame the Bears for signing "Moose" as he was a former Pro Bowl player the season prior to signing with them in 2005.
In fairness, Muhammad established himself as one of the main receiving threat for the Bears during his first year with the team. And lets's be honest, it's not as if he ever had a good QB throwing him the ball.
Still, he suffered from too many drops and was a whiner during much of his time in Chicago. For what it's worth, he was the Bears leading receiver his first two seasons.
Of course, that's a little like being the tallest midget.
Months after leaving the Bears, Muhammad told Sports Illustrated that Chicago is "where wide receivers go to die."
6. Brandon Lloyd
5 of 10
Another wide receiver, and once again, perhaps it's not fair to criticize since Chicago is where they go to die.
But Lloyd was a guy who couldn't stay healthy and his one season with the Bears was disappointing because of it. And the Bears should have known as he already had a reputation in Washington for not being able to play with minor injuries.
Fair or not, Lloyd missed six weeks in 2008 due to a knee sprain. Since he had just two receptions the year prior to being signed by the Bears, this should have been obvious.
Of course, the other way to look at this is the Bears almost caught lightening in a bottle. Last year Lloyd had a terrific season with Denver. The Bears were just two years early.
5. Orlando Pace
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Pace signed a three-year $15 million deal with the Bears before the 2009 season following a Hall of Fame career with the Rams.
It wasn't a bad idea, except for the fact that the man was done.
Pace started the first 11 games at left tackle in his lone season with the Bears before sustaining a groin injury. But he didn't play very well.
4. Chad Hutchinson
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Hutchinson was signed as a backup by the Bears in mid-season 2004. He started several games and went into the 2005 season as the starter.
But he was so awful in pre-season that the Bears went with Kyle Orton instead. He was released in August.
How bad was he? Consider that the Bears opted to sign Jeff Blake to be Orton's backup instead.
He wasn't any better as a baseball player either. He pitched relief in three games for the Cardinals in 2001, giving up nine hits, six walks, and 11 earned runs in four innings.
At least he didn't cost much for the Bears.
3. Bryan Cox
8 of 10
You could easily make a case for Cox being number one on this list.
First and foremost, he was a tool. It's hard to believe that he is a coach for the Dolphins now, but stranger things have happened. Hopefully he isn't teaching the kids how to give the fans the middle finger.
Another classic Dave Wannestedt decision, the Bears signed Cox prior to the 1996 season and made him the highest paid player in team history.
2. Kordell Stewart
9 of 10
Stewart was fairly cheap, but as they say, 'you get what you pay for'. Well, the Bears didn't get much from Stewart as a QB.
He started seven games in 2003 completing just over 50 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The Bears went 2-5 in the games Stewart started.
1. Thomas Smith
10 of 10
No, not Thomas Jones — he would be one of the Bears best free agent signings ever. This Thomas played cornerback...just not very well.
Smith was not known as a shutdown corner, yet the Bears signed the former Bills corner to a $22.5 million, five-year contract prior to the 2000 season.
He lasted one season, and despite playing in all 16 games Smith had no interceptions, and was cut during the following season's camp.
At the time, Bears personnel boss Mark Hatley had described the signings of Smith and Phillip Daniels as the two best defensive options on the market.
Well, if that was true, it certainly was an off year for free agents.
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