The Chicago Bears shocked a lot of people when they made their biggest splash of 2023 free agency. It wasn’t on an offensive or defensive lineman. It was on a linebacker. They gave a four-year deal worth $18 million per season to two-time Pro Bowler Tremaine Edmunds. The team felt his mixture of size, speed, and length made him an ideal fit at middle linebacker in their Tampa-2 system. His skill set is strikingly similar to Brian Urlacher, who was a superstar in that same scheme. The fit is obvious.
However, it would be a gross misconception to think this interest in Edmunds was born in the months leading up to free agency. Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times found that out when GM Ryan Poles admitted the linebacker is somebody he has coveted for the past five years.
Poles loved Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds but had no shot at him, and he went 16th overall. But five years later, he signed him to a four-year, $72 million contract with the Bears.
“The crazy thing is how fast free agency or a trade opportunity comes up,” Poles said. “I remember watching Edmunds. As an evaluator, you’re always trying to sharpen your knife regardless of what you may need right now. You want to stay in tune to the quarterbacks and how they move and how they throw, so you always have that Rolodex to compare to as the years go by.”
In other words, Poles likely had Edmunds circled long before 2023 free agency became a central focus for the Bears. Once it became clear the linebacker wasn’t going to stay in Buffalo, his plans went into motion. The GM was determined to bring the freak athlete to Chicago.
Tremaine Edmunds fits what Poles constantly seeks.
He wants players that are special in some way or form. To him, Edmunds is an ultra-rare specimen. Guys who are 6’5 and 250 lbs don’t usually run with 4.5 speed. He could and that is what made him such a nightmare to deal with for opposing offenses. Throwing around that massive frame was difficult enough. The fact he could cover so much ground in a short span of time made it even worse. Chicago wanted a linebacker that could clog the passing lanes when they drop into coverage. Edmunds is one of the best.
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Poles is not the kind of guy that hands out big contracts in free agency. He’s proven that in two years now. So the fact he threw top money at Tremaine Edmunds is a clear sign of how much he likes the player. This background story finally explains that. He likely would’ve pounded the table for him in Kansas City if the Chiefs had a 1st round pick in 2016. That is how the board falls sometimes. Poles made sure he wouldn’t miss on that rare second opportunity.
