Chicago Bears fans are in some sort of limbo right now. They are excited, but not sure what. Just three days before the start of free agents, there was no hype in the NFL. Of course, there is the usual expectation, but with the new regime led by Ryan Poles, they have no idea what to expect. So far, the only steps GM has taken have been to trade Khalil Mak and release Tarik Cohen and Eddie Goldman. No notable additions. Even the Bears’ mainstream free agents like Allen Robinson, James Daniels and Bilal Nichols seem destined for new homes.
Turns out it might not just be contempt for these players. The Poles might have had the method of his madness. Until now, each of his actions pursued the same goal. To accumulate future assets. Getting rid of Mack, Cohen and Goldman has cleared the cap in 2022, but even more so in 2023. He also made sure to add an extra pick in the 2023 draft. The meaning is clear.
Poles changes the Bears’ typical off-season strategy.
He has said from the outset that he aims to build this team through the draft as he moves forward. Now Ryan Pace has said the same thing, but it quickly became apparent that he plans to use free agency frequently to fill out the roster. It won’t happen this time. At least according to insider Benjamin Albright of KOA Colorado. From what he’s heard, don’t expect Chicago to make any big spending this week. Powles is focused on maintaining financial flexibility as well as generating value that the organization has too often ignored over the years.
The bears are in the process of recovering with a gap and a streak. They know that Rogers probably had a stranglehold on the division of the Poles in the first year of their existence.
Create trenches and use the rest for short trades that will further add to the compensatory formula. https://t.co/jGfGtJZ53z
— Benjamin Albright (@AllbrightNFL) March 13, 2022
Compensatory picks are additional draft picks awarded between the 3rd and 7th rounds. Simply put, if a team loses more players that qualify as compensatory free agents than it signs during free agency, that team is eligible for compensatory picks in the subsequent NFL Draft. Up to four per year. While the Bears won’t get one for 2022, they could have a great opportunity to get a few for 2023.
Chicago bears can cash in if they’re willing to wait
Since 1995, when back-to-back picks came into play, the Bears have only scored 17 in their history. Meanwhile, teams like the Ravens, Packers, Patriots, and Steelers seem to win two or three times. in year. It’s probably no coincidence that these teams always do better than others. They are committed to building through the project. That’s where the Poles want to be. After all, his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, have gotten a lot better in recent years thanks to the compensation formula.
The key to this process is to have a few full-time free agents who can get good contracts in the open market. In this case, the Chicago Bears were lucky. Recent rumors suggest that both Robinson and Daniels could get a lot of attention from other teams. If they end up getting good deals, it will give the Bears a few picks in the middle of next offseason. At the same time, Powles focused his efforts on signing players who didn’t meet the compensation formula – players released by other teams or players who signed contracts not large enough to meet the threshold.
Jarvis Landry is one example they could use if he was cut as expected.
The Bears can still get better now, accumulating even more draft picks in 2023. They currently have six. If the Poles stick to Albright’s strategy, they could have eight or even nine by this time next year.
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