The Chicago Bears don’t look like a team that is going to be active in free agency this year. Then again that is what everybody said last offseason. Then GM Ryan Pace signed Jimmy Graham and Robert Quinn to fairly lucrative deals. Yes, the Bears have salary cap problems but anybody who has followed the NFL long enough knows if a team wants to make a splash, there are plenty of ways to do so.
Could they have another one in mind? If so, then Pro Football Focus and ESPN analyst Seth Galina knows who they should target. The surprise is that it isn’t a quarterback or a wide receiver or an offensive lineman. It’s not even on the offensive side of the ball. He feels the person who might be able to help Chicago the most this coming year is Lavonte David.
The former All-Pro linebacker and new Super Bowl champion from Tampa Bay.
“One of Chicago’s biggest issues this past season was how often teams targeted their linebackers in the middle of the field. And while Roquan Smith held his own, posting a very good 84.0 coverage grade, Danny Trevathan graded out at just 42.3.
David is one of the best in the business at shutting down those quick, easy throws. He has earned a PFF coverage grade above 83.0 four times in his nine-year career, and he has never graded lower than 64.6 in that area.”
David has been one of the most consistently productive and overlooked linebackers in the NFL for a decade. He’s only been All-Pro once and made only one Pro Bowl. This despite topping 100 tackles in eight of nine seasons with 24 sacks on top of that. A model of consistency who was finally rewarded for his outstanding play this past season.
Unfortunately, the Buccaneers have a boatload of free agents they have to retain and only so much money to spend. Head coach Bruce Arians declared David isn’t going anywhere, but he may not have a say in that. With Chris Godwin and Shaq Barrett both needing new deals, Tampa Bay may have to sacrifice somebody. It could end up being David.
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So would the Bears actually inquire?
Don’t bet on David joining the Chicago Bears
This isn’t about being a bad fit or anything. The guy would likely be a big help to their defense. This is merely about business. David just turned 31-years old. He’s on the back nine of his career. Chicago just got done throwing a lot of money at another aging linebacker in Danny Trevathan. They aren’t in the best position to cut his contract without penalties anyway. Let alone throw additional money at somebody the same age.
Don’t expect Pace to do any sort of major spending on defense this year. He might make a minor move to bolster the depth on defense, but the bulk of what little resources they have will be directed towards the offense. Especially quarterback. David will get his money from somewhere else. Either Tampa Bay finds a way to squeeze him in or a linebacker-thirsty team will make the offer he’s looking for.
The Bears defense will have to wait for more help.
Most likely the NFL draft. For the first time since 2017, the team will have all three of their original top picks in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds. That should present an opportunity to add some young, cheap help on the defensive side. Presuming of course they don’t trade some of them for a certain quarterback.
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