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NFL free agency isn't even a week old and the Chicago Bears have nabbed four new starters. They also brought back some key veterans that should to bolster the depth on the team. Here's a quick recap of general manager Ryan Pace's moves so far.
NEW FACES
Inside Linebacker Danny Trevathan - 4 years / $24.5M / $12M guaranteed - Trevathan is a 3 down ILB that will most likely start for the Bears at their Jack ILB position. (WCG LINK)
Right Tackle Bobby Massie - 3 years / $18M / $6.5M guaranteed - Massie will start at RT, which allows Kyle Long to kick back inside to right guard. (WCG LINK)
Inside Linebacker Jerrell Freeman - 3 years / $12M / $6M guaranteed - Freeman will start along side Trevathan at the Mike ILB spot. (WCG LINK)
Defensive End Akiem Hicks - 2 years / $10M / $5.5M guaranteed - Hicks will start at defensive end and along with Eddie Goldman, he gives the Bears a couple young talented defensive linemen to build around. (WCG LINK)
Long Snapper Aaron Brewer - 1 year / terms undisclosed - Brewer has way more experience than Patrick Scales, so he's probably gonna be the guy in 2016. (WCG LINK)
RETURNING FACES
Wide Receiver Alshon Jeffery - 1 year / $14,599,000 all guaranteed - Jeffery signed his franchise tender and the Bears will hope to work out a long term contract with him. (WCG LINK)
Cornerback Tracy Porter - 3 years / $12M / $4.25M guaranteed - At first glance his contract seems a bit pricey, but Porter is only 29 and his contract is front loaded with $3,868,750 of the guarantee coming this year. (WCG LINK)
Offensive Lineman Nick Becton - 1 year / $675,000 - He's a 26 year old that could provide depth and will compete in camp. (WCG LINK)
Running Back Jacquizz Rodgers - 1 year / $760,000 - If you remember, it was Rodgers that started the season as the #2 RB for the Bears last year. He's decent on 3rd downs and is a good special teamer. (WCG LINK)
Cornerback Sherrick McManis - 2 years / $2.85M / $750,000 guaranteed - McManis excels on the 3rd phase, and all but $300,000 of his guarantee hits in 2016. (WCG LINK)
Defensive Lineman Mitch Unrein - 2 years / $2.26M / $500,000 guaranteed - I wouldn't expect his money to be much more than league minimum type stuff, but he's a solid rotational player. (WCG LINK)
Wide Receiver Marc Mariani - 1 year / $840,000 - Even though he had a career year, I doubt his deal is for much more than the league minimum. (WCG LINK)
Tight End Zach Miller - 2 years / $5.5M / $3M guaranteed - The Bears let Miller go set his market, he did, and the bears brought him back on a good deal for both parties. (WCG LINK)
Tight End Rob Housler - 1 year / $760,000 - Another vet minimum deal. Housler reminds me of a poor mans Zach Miller. (WCG LINK)
Wide Receiver Josh Bellamy - 1 year / $760,000 - Bellamy is a good special teamer. (WCG LINK)
Wide Receiver / Kick Returner Deonte Thompson - one year deal / terms undisclosed - The speedy return man will be try to prove worth on offense. (WCG LINK)
Safety Chris Prosinski - one year deal / terms undisclosed - He played 337 snaps on defense and another 259 on special teams. He was the 2nd most active special teams for the Bears, playing on 56.7% of the total plays. (WCG LINK)
FACES LEAVING
Running Back Matt Forte, New York Jets - 3 years / $12M / $9M guaranteed - The Bears were ready to move on from the veteran running back, but they weren't quite ready to hand the reigns over to Jeremy Langford (more on that later).
Defensive End Jarvis Jenkins, New York Jets - 3 years / $6M - Jenkins faded down the stretch for the Bears last year.
Offensive Tackle Jermon Bushrod, Miami Dolphins - 1 year / $1.5M / $985,000 guaranteed - The Bears cut Bushrod after the season, he's being reuinited with Adam Gase in Miami.
Inside Linebacker LaRoy Reynolds, Atlanta Falcons - terms undisclosed - Reynolds did play over 200 special team's snaps for the Bears last year, but his production could be filled elsewhere.
Linebacker Shea McClellin, New England Patriots - 3 years, terms undisclosed - McClellin was mostly bad, but how much of that was his three position shuffle and his 2 years working with Mel Tucker? (WCG LINK)
Tight End Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots - trade - The Bears had to move on from the unhappy Bennett, but I'll bet he thrives with the Pats. (WCG LINK)
NEWS AND RUMORS
Outside linebacker O'Brien Schofield's name was linked to the Bears last week and he's yet to decide on a new team.
The Chargers signed corner Casey Hayward, so odds are high that they won't want Patrick Robinson to return. The Bears have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Robinson. EDIT: Robinson signed with the Colts.
Everything has been quiet with Martellus Bennett, but since the Bears brought back 2 TEs and were talking with Jermaine Gresham before he went back to Arizona, I would guess they still plan to move on from Bennett at some point. (EDIT: He has been traded)
The Washington Redskins signed safety David Bruton, whom the Bears had interest in.
Linebacker Shea McClellin has visited the New York Jets and the Seattle Seahawks. (EDIT: Signed by N.E.)
The Bears seem to still be looking to add to their running back position with their failure to entice Denver Broncos restricted free agent running back C.J. Anderson to sign their offer sheet. (WCG LINK)
BEST FA AVAILABLE
(As of 3/15/16)
The Bears still may be looking to upgrade the safety position, unless they are confident Antrel Rolle will have a bounce back season. Restricted free agent Tony Jefferson of the Cardinals was tweeting back and forth last week with Kyle Long, and he's probably the best safety available. The other safeties on the market seem too old for the Bears.
Since the Bears were looking at adding a running back, here are a couple that could makes sense. Green Bay's James Starks has always been a solid back up and is used to sharing the load and Denver's Ronnie Hillman has a history with Bears head coach John Fox and is only 24 years old. EDIT: Starks re-signed with the Packers
Tight end Jared Cook has a history with Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains from their time in Tennessee, but he's more of a move-TE. Scott Chandler is more of an all around TE who played last year with the Patriots.
Brandon Boykin is another veteran corner the Bears could be interested in.
Nick Fairley could probably step in and give the Bears some d-line depth.
Will Montgomery and Manuel Ramirez are a couple of stopgap centers that could interest the Bears for the 2016 season.
What are your general thoughts on free agency so far?