NEWSLETTER
The NFL new league year is here! And with it, free-agent signings can become officially official.
For the Chicago Bears, it means they can welcome running back D’Andre Swift, tight end Gerald Everett, and safety Jonathan Owens onto the squad. Those three represent the team’s first three signings of the offseason. They’ve since added the additions of offensive lineman Matt Pryor and backup quarterback Brett Rypien.
Swift’s signing was agreed upon on Monday. As for Everett, his representation agreed on a deal with the Bears on Tuesday. And on Wednesday, the Pryor and Rypien additions popped up. More on Rypien in a little bit. But first, how about some snippets on some new Bears.
D’Andre Swift, new Bears running back
For our Monday post:
Swift, 25, ran for 1,049 yards last year and scored five touchdowns. he even made the Pro Bowl. A second-round pick by the Lions in 2020, Swift doesn’t have a ton of heavy workload years out of the backfield. In fact, his 268 touches in 2023 represented a career-high. Maybe the Bears see value in a player at a position who hasn’t done a ton of heavy lifting at an otherwise brutal position. I guess we’ll find out.
OK, so Swift isn’t the high-profile big-ticket running back signing we thought was a possibility for the Bears. That is OK. I’m looking forward to seeing how Swift, Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson are deployed under Shane Waldron’s leadership as the team’s new offensive coordinator.
Gerald Everett, new Bears tight end
From our Tuesday post:
Everett, 29, was Pro Football Focus’ fourth-highest ranking free agent tight end and came in at No. 84 on the site’s list of 100 best free agents entering the offseason. He is coming off a season in which he caught 51 passes, gained 411 receiving yards, and scored 3 touchdowns. In 2022, Everett set career highs in catches (58) and receiving yards (555) while tying his career high in touchdowns (4). Everett has caught at least 40 passes and gained 400+ receiving yards in each of the last four seasons. And he’s done it catching passes from Jared Goff, Russell Wilson, and Justin Herbert.
The Gerald Everett-Cole Kmet tandem has the potential to be a dynamic duo for the Bears in 2024. Everett is more of a “U” tight end and can allow for Kmet to play in a different style in this offense. Don’t get it twisted, though. Given how much two-TE personnel Shane Waldron figures to run moving forward, there should be plenty of action for both these players to be on the field … at the same time … working together … and making plays.
Jonathan Owens, new Bears safety
From Tuesday’s news story:
One thing I found most interesting about Owens is that in addition to playing on 70 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, it is also worth noting that Owens played on 54 percent of Green Bay’s special teams plays. Considering how the Bears’ special teams unit could use some work, adding a fresh face to the mix seems like a good idea. I’m certainly not going to say no. Especially not after that group finished 22nd on the Rick Gosselin Special Teams rankings in 2023 and 24th in 2022.
With Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker entrenched in starting spots, don’t expect to see a ton of Owens in the starting lineup. However, we figure to see plenty of Owens as a special teams contributor and a key depth piece. If you watched the Bears backup safeties play the last two years, then I bet you’ll appreciate the Owens signing.
Plus, we get Olympic icon Simone Biles as part of the deal. And she seems excited about coming to Chicago:
Matt Pryor, new Bears offensive lineman
This is what we had to say about the new guy after a cursory look at his profile:
Pryor earned an 88.5 grade from Pro Football Focus in 42 snaps played. That isn’t a lot of playing time, so I don’t want to try and turn that number into something it isn’t. Although, I guess there is something to be said about making the most of your playing time. What is most notable about Pryor’s past (beyond last year) is how he has been deployed. Last year, Pryor played snaps at left tackle (5), left guard (11), and right tackle (26). In 2022, he played 212 snaps at right guard. If you go up and down his profile, you’ll notice he has played everywhere but center. Now, that is what I would call positional flexibility.
Our last post of the 2023 NFL league year was about an offensive lineman. Considering how much we obsess over line play around these parts, that feels fitting.
