MONEY HAUL
Bears poised poisedto to ma make big splash when free agency o opens today
The Bears made a big splash on the second day of “legal tampering” in NFL free agency Tuesday, agreeing to terms with wide receiver Allen Robinson, tight end Trey Burton, slot receiver Taylor Gabriel and kicker Cody Parkey.
The Sun- Times’ Bears experts— Adam Jahns, Patrick Finley andMark Potash — take a look at howthe Bears did and what impact it might make on the 2018 season.
Allen Robinson over Sammy Watkins?
Jahns: The Bears got it right with Robinson. He might be returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but Watkins has red flags, too. Why didn’t the Rams— a team with Super Bowl aspirations that the Bears are often compared to— push to re- sign him? What does it say about Watkins that he will be on his third team in five NFL seasons? What about his lengthy injury history?
Finley: The Bears probably would’ve been thrilled with Robinson or Watkins, the former Rams speedster who agreed to sign with the Chiefs. Here’s why I like Robinson better: He averaged 9.1 career targets per game before tearing his knee. Watkins has averaged 6.6. The Bears needed a workhorse receiver, and they got one.
Potash: Considering the Bears’ wide- receiver corps last year, does it really matter? Either player would be a huge upgrade. Robinson arguably has the higher ceiling but also is the bigger risk, coming off a torn ACL. At least Ryan Pace is in a little better position to roll the dice.
Passing- game problem solved?
Jahns: Reaching deals with Robinson, Gabriel and Burton help, but the passing game will be “solved” through quarterback Mitch Trubisky’s development under new coach Matt Nagy. Their arrivals help Trubisky but also will magnify his mistakes. He will be learning a new offense this year.
Finley: Heck, no. They need at least one more receiver, be it through free agency or the draft — and that’s presuming Cam Meredith returns on his original- round tender and is the same player. They need someone in the middle of the line to protect Trubisky, their most pricey investment. And they need the entire offense to learn a new scheme. Still, there’s a lot more to like about their passing attack today than there was on Dec. 31.
Potash: The solution to the Bears’ passing- game issues revolves around the ability of Nagy, Mark Helfrich and Brad Childress to design an offense that creates conflict of assignment and gets receivers open. Robinson is a pretty good start, with the ability to make every other pass- catcher better.
An underrated need is ...
Jahns: Inside linebacker. Danny Trevathan, a free- agent addition in 2016, hasn’t played a full season in two years for the Bears. Nick Kwiatkoski also has dealt with injuries since being drafted in the fourth round in 2016.
Finley: Backup quarterback. In a thin free- agent class, the Bears needed to focus on high- end talent to fill starting roles. Beyond that,
though, there’s nothing more important than surrounding Trubisky with a veteran leader, or two, who can help set the tone for the quarterback room.
Potash: Kicker. Parkey was 21- for- 23 ( 91.3 percent) for the Dolphins last season. But that was last season.
Bears can’t fix this in free agency ...
Jahns: The outside pass rush. The pickings are just too slim in free agency, and the same goes for the draft. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio might have to be more creative this season with his blitzes and pressures.
Finley: Edge rusher. The free- agent candidates have considerable flaws, and the draft doesn’t present a perfect fit at No. 8 overall.
Potash: Injury issues. If the Bears can’t stay healthy, Trubisky will have to develop into Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees in a hurry to succeed.
Be excited about ...
Jahns: The appeal of Nagy and his offense. His connection with slot receiver Albert Wilson didn’t result in a deal, but Robinson told ESPN reporter Josina Anderson that Nagy’s work last year with the Chiefs influenced his decision to join the Bears.
Finley: A modern offense. The Bears never have been mistaken for Air Coryell— Brees has 12 seasons better than the Bears’ single- season passing- yards record— but Nagy now has a few weapons. Maybe p- a- s- s won’t be a four- letter word at Soldier Field anymore. Potash: Valued free agents wanting to play for Nagy and with Trubisky. But you shouldn’t be getting too excited about free agency. It’s only part of the process, and a complementary one to drafting and developing your own players.
Did Pace get his big signings right?
Jahns: Pace still is making up
for his and ex- GM Phil Emery’s past mistakes. But aggressively targeting young help for Trubisky accelerates Pace’s rebuilding plan. Pace now has Trubisky and three handpicked draft classes to build around — a significant difference than when he first took over the Bears. Finley: We won’t know anytime soon. But successfully recruiting top- end free agents — Robinson and Burton were among the top two available at their positions— is an improvement over last year’s debacle.
Potash: The addition of Robinson is a morale- boosting sign that the Bears are serious about attacking their big weakness instead of thinking Kevin White and Meredith are the answer. Assuming Robinson is the same player he was before the ACL injury, that alone gives Pace a head start in the offseason.