Hot Takes, Predictions for Bears' Most Impactful Free-Agent Signings
The Chicago Bears accelerated their rebuilding process around Justin Fields with a few key free-agent signings this offseason.
The Bears' biggest improvement came at linebacker, where they brought in Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. They should form a strong duo to give Chicago a more formidable defense in 2023.
Chicago's biggest offensive move was the acquisition of D.J. Moore in the trade with the Carolina Panthers for the No. 1 overall pick.
The Bears made a few other deals in free agency to build the depth around Fields at running back and tight end.
The signings of D'Onta Foreman and Robert Tonyan do not carry the same buzz as the trade for Moore, but they could be helpful in getting the Bears out of the NFC basement.
Linebackers Improve Defense Significantly
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Edmunds and Edwards have seven 100-tackle seasons between them.
The former put together five straight 100-tackle campaigns with the Buffalo Bills, while the latter had back-to-back 130-tackle seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Chicago had two players with more than 100 tackles in 2022, one of which was safety Jaquan Brisker.
Brisker and Nicholas Morrow were the only high-volume tacklers on the roster after the Roquan Smith trade with the Baltimore Ravens. Smith finished as the Bears' third-best tackler in 2023 despite just playing eight games for the franchise.
The pair of free-agent linebackers should be menaces in the middle, which should help the Bears defense get off the field much quicker. That, in turn, gives Fields more time to operate.
Edmunds and Edwards will not add much to the pass rush, as they have 11 sacks combined, but if they can plug the holes in the second layer of defense, the Bears will look far better there in 2023.
D'Onta Foreman Takes Some Pressure Off Justin Fields in Ground Game
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The Bears still have a big question mark at running back.
Foreman and Khalil Herbert are the top two players on the depth chart following David Montgomery's departure.
Foreman, 27, is coming off the best season of his career with the Carolina Panthers, as he had 914 rushing yards and five scores.
He was not a feature back before 2022, so the Bears are taking a risk with a player who does not have a ton of experience in the No. 1 role.
Foreman's primary goal will be to take some pressure off Justin Fields in the ground game. He could take some carries off him during certain games, or be more involved in the red-zone game plan.
Foreman scored eight touchdowns in the last two years, and he could be most valuable in the red zone so that Fields takes fewer risks on rushing plays in that area of the field.
Fields is still going to take off and run, but he should not feel the pressure to do everything with the ball in his hands.
The Bears can achieve that if Foreman can replicate his 2022 yardage total and add a few more touchdowns to his resume.
Robert Tonyan Stars in Second Half Of Season
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The Bears took a risk with Robert Tonyan at tight end.
The former Green Bay Packers player is coming off a torn ACL, and he may not get back to the explosive form he displayed elsewhere in the NFC North.
Tonyan does not have to be the top playmaker at tight end right away with Cole Kmet on the Bears roster, and that should allow him to ease back into more playing time.
Tonyan's impact could be felt more in the second half of the season, when his knee is at 100 percent and has game time on it.
The sixth-year player has 17 career touchdown catches, 11 of which came in 2020, so he can be a vital red-zone outlet for Fields.
A two tight end formation with Moore, Fields and a running back on the field will force defenses to leave one or two players in man coverage, and that's where Tonyan could thrive.
The expectations are low because of the ACL recovery, but the 29-year-old could contribute around five touchdown catches and turn into a strong asset in November and December.
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