With 24 hours to go before the legal tampering period begins, most people believe the Chicago Bears had a clear plan of action. Two positions have dominated discussions as areas they would address in free agency: center and edge rusher. If GM Ryan Poles could secure two credible players at those spots, he’d go into the NFL draft with loads of flexibility. Unfortunately, things change fast in this league. Yesterday’s expected price tag can often change on a dime. A perfect lesson of this has occurred thanks to Myles Garrett.
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The superstar defensive end had been embroiled in a standoff with the Cleveland Browns over his desire to be traded. The organization refused to entertain the idea. Rumors were spreading that Garrett would consider sitting out games in 2025. Everything shifted on Sunday when the two sides came together on a blockbuster extension, resetting the market to pay the defensive end $40 million per year. Just like that, the price tag of every edge rusher in the upcoming free agent class went up.
Myles Garrett may force the Bears to reallocate their resources.
Yes, they need pass rusher help. That won’t magically go away. However, it may force Poles to reconsider which names he will pursue. Khalil Mack and Josh Sweat are the ones mentioned the most as potential targets. They were already going to be expensive. Seeing Myles Garrett get that much money will convince their agents that they can and should demand more. While both are still very good players, they aim to get paid like great ones. Poles has said he wants to avoid trying to solve his problems in free agency. This is a perfect example of why. The market only gets more expensive every year. Perhaps the best thing for the Bears to do is find a reasonable second-tier option and go hunting for a long-term solution in the draft. It’s not ideal, but that is the reality of the situation.
