NEWSLETTER
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold and Adam Schefter are reporting that free agent pass-rusher Frank Clark is signing a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos. So Clark, a free agent defensive end deemed a fit for the Bears in some (but not all) circles, will get a chance to play at Soldier Field in 2023. But it’ll come in Week as a member of the Broncos. And with that, you can cross Clark off any wish-list you had him on as a Bears fan.
In one sense, Clark’s signing is a bummer. Not only does it take another defensive end off the market when the Bears are looking for one, but he’s also signing with one of the teams Chicago will see during an early stretch of the season — a stretch of games where it would be nice to see the Bears get off to a good start. Clark will do his best to make it as hard on Chicago’s football team. Hopefully, Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, and the rest of the Bears’ blockers will be ready and up for the challenge.
But in a different sense, signing Clark would’ve made GM Ryan Poles look like a hypocrite after passing on Jalen Carter when character concerns surfaced before NFL Draft weekend.
And then there’s a third side in all of this to keep in mind: Market clarity.
While you may choose to see this as another missed opportunity for the Bears, at least we gained a data point/better understanding of what it’ll take to acquire help at a position of need.
Recent transactions brings us to a place where we can surmise what it’ll take for the Bears to bring in the pass-rush help they seek. Here’s what is trending:
There you have it. This is what the ballpark figures look like in terms of bringing in some much-needed defensive line help.
Maybe their path is to sign a current free agent. Perhaps there’s a trade to cook up between now and the start of the year. But if the Bears are going to cut a trade, they’ll need a willing and able partner (it takes two to tango and whatnot). Another option is to wait out late-summer cap casualties. Needless to say, the Bears have options, even if none of them are great.
One thing to keep in mind here is that it looks to be tough to sign a free agent given where the Bears were in the standings. We’ve seen Floyd sign with the Bills citing his desire to play for a winning club. This comes on the heels of Yannick Ngakoue echoing a similar statement when discussing his free agency. With that being said, it might be a tough sell for these Bears right now. Particularly after a 3-win season that netted then the first overall pick in the 2023 draft (before trading it away). Maybe some extra financial incentives need to be thrown in to sweeten the pot. Even still … it is evident that GM Ryan Poles will likely need to come strong with their pitches of a winning vision in Chicago. Otherwise, a late-summer free agency adventure won’t be all that fruitful.
In the end, the Bears would be wise to set their parameters and go on their business. I don’t want to ignore a glaring need. But at this stage of the offseason, I can talk myself into creating a Trevis Gipson-Dominique Robinson camp competition. Sometimes, a head-to-head race with the winner claiming a starting job can bring the best out of a player. Let the best man win! And if there is no clear winner, then re-assess the trade and free agency markets at that point.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to see the Bears punt a position. We saw what that looks like when the Bears didn’t make the necessary moves to bring in worthwhile receiver help last offseason. I’m not trying to repeat history. But I think the Bears are in a better spot with D-lineman now compared to last year’s wideout situation. Then again, that is such a low bar to clear. It’s time to raise the bar around here.
