NFL Free Agency: Grading the Chicago Bears' Moves

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The Chicago Bears' offseason has been filled with questionable move after questionable move.

They have made many polarizing moves that have had Bears fans wanting to storm Halas Hall and overthrow GM Jerry Angelo.

This list will grade the Chicago Bears offseason and dissect the moves they have made so far.

The Cowboy Castoffs

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The Chicago Bears front office has seemed to fallen in love with the Dallas Cowboys roster and signed almost every player they have cut.

The moves they made aren't major free agency splashes but a few of them make sense and could benefit the team.

Roy Williams Addition: B-

Most Bears fans would have liked the team to go after a bigger name wide receiver to give Jay Cutler, but that didn't happen. 

The Bears have not been known to give out big money to free agent wide receivers and with this year's dull crop of them, it shouldn't be a surprise that Williams has been the only move they've made.

Williams thrived under offensive coordinator Mike Martz in Detroit and caught 82 passes for 1310 yards in his only Pro Bowl season.

Williams is on a one year deal with very little guaranteed money so expect him to be on his best behavior.

The Williams signing won't win a Super Bowl but it will improve their receiver corps and passing offense.

Marion Barber: B

Adding Marion Barber was a relatively surprising move made by the Bears and one that will pay off for them.

Barber is a hard runner who will add loads of help in goal line situations and is a solid pass blocker.

Barber has battled injuries the past few seasons and if he can stay on the field he should be a great complement to Matt Forte in the run game.

Barber is getting paid five million dollars over two years and at such a low cost is a nice pick up for Chicago.

Sam Hurd: B

Don't expect Sam Hurd to make a huge impact as a receiver but more as a special teams guy.

Hurd thrived as a special teams player in Dallas and his hard work and fearless approach to covering kicks has given him a good reputation around the league.

Solid move overall, I don't love it but I don't hate it either.

 

  

Free Agency Additions

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Amobi Okoye Addition: B+

The Chicago Bears needed to fill the Tommie Harris void at defensive tackle and seemed to have done so in signing Amobi Okoye.

Okoye will battle for a starting spot with Anthony Adams and could be a productive player after a change of scenery.

Okoye was the 10th overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft and has worn out his time in Houston as they transition to a 3-4 defense.

Okoye is only 24 years old and still has a ton of potential in him.

The Bears defensive system could be the perfect fit for him and turn his career around, I like this addition a lot.

Chris Spencer Addition: B-

The Bears added Chris Spencer to their roster and will most likely start him at center when the season starts.

Spencer is a decent player who may help their offensive line overall but isn't going to be enough to fix it fully.

The Bears needed to address the O-line with a major free agent that could have upgraded the unit from awful to solid.

Spencer isn't going to be enough and while it is a minor upgrade it won't help to much.

Vernon Gholston Addition: B+

Vernon Gholston has pretty much been proclaimed a bust after his first four seasons in the NFL didn't go well.

Gholston was drafted by the New York Jets and was forced to play out of position to fit their defense.

The Bears added Gholston for a cheap price and are not risking anything in bringing him to camp.

He will be able to play his natural position of defense end in Chicago and maybe getting out of New York was all he needed.

Maybe it is wishful thinking but I think Gholston will produce for the Bears and produce at a high level, I like the signing and think it will help the Bears in the long run.

So Long, Olin

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Losing Olin Kreutz: F

The Chicago Bears have chosen to part ways with their locker room leader and Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz over $500,000.

While Olin is well past his prime and did not play very well last year he was still a huge part of the team and played a huge role as a locker room leader and veteran.

Losing Kreutz over $500,000 is a mistake that Jerry Angelo should be held accountable for.

Kreutz could have started at center while Chris Spencer played guard, creating a much better offensive line then currently constructed.

Losing Kreutz will have a much bigger impact on the Bears than most people think and it is a move that Angelo will wish he had done differently.

Trading Greg Olsen

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The most polarizing move the Chicago Bears have made this Offseason is the trading of Greg Olsen to the Carolina Panthers for a third round pick.

Olsen was a fan favorite among Bears fans and many were very upset over the trade.

The truth is, while Olsen had a lot of potential he never really lived up to his first round draft choice and wasn't that great for the Bears.

Olsen never produced more than 650 receiving yards in a season and maxed out at 8 touchdowns in one year, even as the number one offensive target.

Olsen did not fit well at all in the Mike Martz offensive scheme and it was time to move on.

The Bears got very little back in the trade which is worth getting upset over as a Bears fan, but overall it was time to move him.

Olsen Trade: C