The Chicago Bears were never going to be a team that made big splashes in 2019 free agency. They didn’t have the money to do so. GM Ryan Pace was faced with a difficult challenge that many like him face each year. How can I make my team better while spending a limited about of money? The answer is not simple. It takes in-depth research, strong negotiating, and a little creativity to pull off. Luckily for the Bears, this is an area that Pace has often proven to be at his best.
It is easy to forget the man was a pro personnel executive with the Saints for a number of years before arriving in Chicago. Finding bargains was his job given New Orleans’ constant cap issues due to the Drew Brees contract. So when he made his plans for 2019, it’s clear he knew exactly what he wanted to do. It would begin with a somewhat controversial decision. Allowing Adrian Amos and Bryce Callahan to hit the open market and sign with other teams.
This is something the national media lambasted, believing it killed the Bears’ free agency aspirations before they began. Brad Gagdon of Bleacher Report gave them a ‘D’ grade for their work simply because they failed to retain either of them.
“The Bears should have found a way to bring back one of those two defensive backs because they undoubtedly downgraded in both spots. And for now, the Davis signing is a bit odd because they’ve yet to unload Jordan Howard and obviously already have Tarik Cohen. This was always going to be a quiet offseason in Chicago, but this will be viewed as ugly if Amos and Callahan excel in Green Bay and Denver, respectively.”
Pace remained adamant in his belief the team made the right call, and time has proven him wise.
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Ryan Pace did incredible bang-for-buck work in March
Three games into the season and it looks like the GM is getting the last laugh. His class has already made major contributions to the Bears’ 2-1 record. All while serving their checkbook well with far more manageable deals with no long-term hooks.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – $3 million
The much-maligned replacement for Amos. A lot of people laughed when the Bears made this move and claimed he could more than fill that void. Packer fans said he was a bust and utter joke. That’s why he was traded. Redskins fans said he did next to nothing during the half-season he was there. He would be a colossal step down from what they had in Amos.
A lot of those people aren’t laughing anymore. Through three games, Clinton-Dix has 17 tackles, two interceptions, a defensive touchdown, and two passes defended. The best part? His missed tackle rate for this season is 5.6%. That’s down from the 15.6% he had during his final stretch with Green Bay last year. Not bad for a guy who supposedly was the worst tackler in the NFL.
Buster Skrine – $5.53 million
Different position, same story. Critics felt the Bears downgraded at slot cornerback when Callahan departed while they brought in Skrine. Many argued his bad history of penalties and poor coverage made this among the most puzzling moves. The team though felt that he was actually among the best nickel corners in the league. He simply had the misfortune of playing behind some rather subpar front sevens. Adding to that, he’d only missed five games in his career. So the man was durable. Something that was never the case with Callahan.
Thus far the results aren’t too shabby. Skrine has 12 tackles and a pass defense. He also has a quarterback hit and two pressures as a blitzer. Opposing quarterbacks have targeted him nine times through the first three games and only completed four passes. He’s done his job. Meanwhile, Callahan has yet to play this season due to a lingering foot problem.
Cordarrelle Patterson – $5 million
The Bears signed the veteran wide receiver primarily because he’s one of the best kick returners in the NFL. His presence is already felt on that front. Opponents have consistently been booting the football through the back of the end zone, not even wanting to give him a chance on a return. This hasn’t stopped the Bears from getting the football in his hands. Through three games, Patterson has touched the ball nine times for a total of 71 yards.
That’s an average of 7.88 yards gained every time he gets his hands on the ball. Pretty good. Getting that and his threat in the return game for just $5 million is a comparative bargain.
All told it cost the Bears $13.53 million to sign these three players for 2019. Amos will cost the Packers $9 million by himself. Callahan $7 million to the Broncos. Pace not only managed to replace both of them with as good or even better players but added a dangerous offensive/special teams weapon and still managed to save $2.47 million. That is what winning free agency is really about.
