With the Chicago Bears coming off the bye week, we decided to look at the key 2025 free agent signings and trades with grades for the moves.
While it’s an early bye week for the Bears, coming in week five, it might be at the right time in terms of injuries. Following that 0-2 start, they have won two straight games but have battled some big injuries. They need to be able to get healthy for the final 13 games this season if they want any chance at competing for a playoff spot.
This period is also an opportunity for some pondering of our own. It’s still early in the season, but the last four games have certainly given us a snapshot of the Bears’ new coaches and players, and how they have transitioned to life in Chicago.
One of the big questions heading into the season was how Ryan Poles’ free agent signings – and trade additions – would look on this team. Well, what better time than now to carry out a first review of the new additions on the Bears’ roster.
I’ll place each of the Bears’ free agent signings in one of three tiers – Significant Impact. Middle of the Road and Not Looking Great. Take a look at our additions this offseason for the Bears, including free agent signings and a few trades the Bears have made. Make sure to check back with the Bear Report for complete coverage of the season.
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Joe Thuney (Traded 4th round Pick)
Thuney has been everything we had hoped he would be when Ryan Poles sent a 4th round pick to Kansas City for him back in March, and more. The interior of the Bears’ offensive line was a major weakness last season and was top of Ryan Poles’ to-do list in the offseason.
Joe Thuney was the marquee signing that the Bears needed to lead the offensive line into 2025. In his first four games ,Thuney has played over 250 snaps and in that time has given up 0 sacks, 0 penalties, 1 QB hit, and just 4 QB pressures.
Ryan Poles was right to sign him to a 2-year $35 million contract extension, and with what we’ve seen thus far, that was a bargain. His impact on the game has been matched only by his positive influence on his teammates. I’m excited to see how he continues to influence this team as the season goes along.
Olamide Zaccheaus (1-year, $1.5 million contract)
Zaccheaus was brought into Chicago to be an effective contributor in that WR3 role, and he has done just that. Now statistically, he doesn’t jump off the page, and his inclusion in this top tier is based partly on projection for the season.
In four games, he has contributed 14 receptions for 119 yards and 0 touchdowns. He ranks third on the team in receiving yards, ahead of tight end Cole Kmet. He is currently on pace to have over 500 receiving yards on the year, in line with his production in Washington last year. I reckon that number will increase as this offense gets more confident and settles into a rhythm as the season goes on.
Case Keenum (1-year, $3 million contract)
You might think including Keenum in the top tier is an odd choice; however, Keenum’s contribution to the QB room and – more significantly – to the development of Caleb Williams cannot be understated.
Keenum is a 13-year veteran in this league, and while most of that time has been spent as a back-up, he did have a couple of good seasons as a starter back in 2017 with the Minnesota Vikings and in 2018 with the Denver Broncos.
Keenum is the Bears’ QB3, but he is for all intents and purposes a player/coach. His signing this off-season was done with one purpose in mind – to impart his knowledge and experience on Caleb Williams. This is a hugely underrated signing.
Drew Dalman (3-year, $42 million contract)
Hailed as the top center available in free agency, the former Atlanta Falcon was snapped up by Ryan Poles on day one of the “legal tampering period”.
Dalman’s signing was one that was met with much excitement by most Bears fans; however, his production in the first four games has left much to be desired. Dalman has been relatively effective in the run game so far, but his pass blocking grade is in the basement of the NFL rankings. Dalman has played just over 260 snaps, allowed 1 sack, 9 pressures, and has 1 penalty to his name.
As is usual, the stats do not tell the whole story when it comes to offensive linemen; however, you just have to watch Dalman’s tape to see that consistency isn’t there yet.
This offensive line is new, and they are still getting used to playing alongside each other. There is still ample time to get things going, but with Dalman’s price tag, we should expect that sooner rather than later.
Dayo Odeyingbo (3-year, $48 million contract)
When Dayo Odeyingbo was signed on day one of Free Agency, many Chicago Bears fans scratched their heads in disbelief. The fifth-year man out of Vanderbilt had been in Indianapolis for the first four years of his career but only became a starter at defensive end last season.
Last season, Dayo put just 3 sacks, 31 tackles, 17 QB hits and 42 pressures on the board for the Colts. Those stats were why some Bears fans were disappointed when Ryan Poles decided to give him $16 million per year to come to Chicago.
In his first four games in Chicago, Dayo has 1 sack, 12 tackles, 1 QB hit and 6 pressures. He had a good outing in week 1 against the Vikings, but since then he has found it difficult to get things going. He is on track to have 4 sacks, 38 tackles, 4 QB hits and 26 pressures this season, but for what Poles shelled out for him, that’s a disappointing return. With fellow pass rusher Montez Sweat not living up to his contract, it’s time for Odeyingbo to step it up.
Grady Jarrett (3-Year, $42.75 million)
When Grady Jarrett became unexpectedly available in Free Agency, Ryan Poles snapped him up quickly. It was a no-brainer.
Jarrett is a seasoned veteran and a game wrecker and given how bad the Bears’ run defense has been lately, it made a lot of sense to pick him up.
Since then however, Jarrett’s start to his career in Chicago has been anti-climactic. He did have a good first outing in week 1 but has since picked up a knee injury which has significantly affected his influence on the game.
He missed week 4 with that injury, but it expected to play next week at the Commanders. It’s reasonable to give Jarrett a pass, given his recent injury issues, but when back and fully healthy, we need to see more from the investment. Our run defense has been porous in recent weeks. We need a healthy Grady Jarrett firing on all cylinders.
Nahshon Wright (1-Year, $1.1 million)
Wright was brought in as a back up to Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson back in April; however, due to the former’s off-season injury, he has been pushed into a starting position in the first four week of the season. He picked off JJ McCarthy in week 1 and took it to the house for the Bears only pick-six of the year so far. Outside of that, it’s been quite inconsistent. Wright has all the tools to be effective in the league, it’s just a case of him executing consistently. I wrote about the cornerback position in Chicago last month – can Wright take the next step and hold the fort until Johnson returns? Or should the Bears go back to the market for reinforcements?
Durham Smythe (1-year, $2.5 million)
A decent pick up at the blocking TE position. That’s about it. He’s been used to help block, not targeted once in the passing game. Still, he has been useful.
Devin Duvernay (1-year, $1.17 million)
Brought in to return kicks, he has been okay. Nothing to write home about. Averaging 25.5 yards per kick return so far, he falls behind rookie Luther Burden III in that stat. Some say Burden should be given more opportunities to return kicks, it will be interesting to see how that progresses as the season does.
Jonah Jackson (Traded 6th Round Pick)
The trade for Jonah Jackson was announced the day before the Joe Thuney trade, but it wasn’t received with the same excitement. Sure, Jackson had played for Ben Johnson as a starting guard in the 2022 and 2023 season, and performed very well in his system. Since then he made a big money move to the LA Rams, but due to a combination of injury woes and a position move, he was somewhat derailed in 2024.
The Bears gave up just a 6th round pick to bring Jackson and his contract to Chicago. The move in isolation at the time felt very much like another patchwork move of Poles, who has a history of bringing in average vets from around the league in trade deals.
Four games in, and Jonah Jackson is very much as I expected. He’s played over 260 snaps, and while he hasn’t given up a sack, he has allowed 8 pressures and has also been responsible for 4 penalties. He has scored a PFF pass blocking grade of just 54.2 and a run blocking grade of 56, with an overall ranking of 71st out of 102 qualifying guards.
Since the trade, Jackson was signed to a 3-year $51 million contract extension. Poles had better hope that his performances start to improve; otherwise, this will be viewed as another botched signing.
Nick McCloud (1-year, $1.32 million)
McCloud was only ever meant to be a depth piece and special team contributor. Due to Kyler Gordon’s training camp injury, we’ve seen a lot more of him than expected. Let’s just hope Gordon is back and available for week 6.
Look, it’s only been four weeks, there is still plenty of time for those who have underperformed to make a lasting impact. The reality is that the off-season grades that are given out after Free Agency ends are completely pointless and build up many unrealistic expectations
The Bears were hailed for winning the off-season with the additions of Jonah Jackson, Drew Dalman and Joe Thuney on the interior of the offensive line, but these things cannot be graded on paper, you must see it translate to the field.
All in all, there is more good than bad when it comes to these signings at the moment. Had we been given a bye week later in the season, the grading of these guys might have looked very different. The progression of these players will be significantly impacted by the coaching staff hired this off-season. What a tremendous opportunity for those guys to show why they were brought in as the future of this franchise.
Biggest questions the Bears have to answer after bye week
Analyzing the biggest questions the Chicago Bears have to answer coming out of the bye week.
The Chicago Bears have officially wrapped up the first four games of the 2025 regular season and with the team on a bye week during week 5, the bye week provided the coaching staff and front office with a chance to evaluate the roster and overall operation of the team.
Through the first four games, head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles have learned a lot about where their roster stands, one that has some of their fingerprints all over it at key positions such as offensive line, tight end, and wide receiver. The Bears have had some bright moments on offense and defense, along with solid play by the special teams unit. But for every bright moment, there’s been instances where players have failed to perform and the Bears have struggled to produce results.
Much like the 31 other teams across the league, the Bears aren’t perfect. For a team that started the season off by losing its first two games, it’s clear that the presence of Johnson and ascending second-year quarterback Caleb Williams won’t be enough to propel this team to the playoffs. A lot of factors will need to fall in place if this team is going to make a meaningful run in October and November and ultimately, be in the hunt for the playoffs in December.
Some questions the Bears will need to answer include the state of the left tackle position, what the offense has accomplished, and whether or not the defense has really developed an identity. As the 2025 roster continues developing an identity, it is fair to wonder whether or not this team can seriously compete with anyone, especially after a little bit of a resurgence in weeks 3 and 4.
Let’s get into some major questions that the Bears will have to answer as the 2025 season progresses.
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With four games in the books, the Bears have started to develop an identity on offense. It’s not a pretty one but what’s been obvious so far is that Caleb Williams has continued to get better, despite what the stats say. Williams has also proven that he play within the structure of the offense Johnson has put together and consistently makes plays when needed.
In terms of the bigger picture, this is a team that has figured out how to move the ball consistently and develop an identity that keeps the team in games. That’s a positive for a team that’s still yet to hit its stride on offense and hopes to reach its ceiling during the second half of the season.
On defense, Dennis Allen has found a way to get the most out of a unit that has been shorthanded to start the season. With veterans like T.J. Edwards, Jaylon Johnson, and Kyler Gordon missing time, younger players such as Noah Sewell have found a way to step up and become productive.
Overall, while the Bears have started to figure out who they are as a team, it appears that this is a group that is well on its way to developing a tough, scrappy identity on both sides of the ball. It won’t always be pretty and the issues will be visible but this roster will stick together and find a way to get the job done.
For a team that neglected to address the running back position in the offseason, the Bears running game has underwhelmed to start the 2025 season. While Chicago did add 2025 seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai to the roster in the offseason, he’s seen limited playing time.
The good news is that Monangai did see the field in week 4 against the Raiders and despite playing just 19 snaps in the team’s week 4 victory, he did average 4.5 yards per carry while finishing the afternoon with 18 total rushing yards. While the sample size is limited, it wouldn’t hurt to give the former Rutgers product more carries, especially since he’s proved to be a hard, physical runner who plays with some burst.
For the Bears offense to really take another step forward, mixing in a healthy dose of Monangai could be the key to unlocking a unit that has managed to move the ball consistently but lacks a serious threat that will force defenses to stay on their toes as the season progresses.
While the coaching staff may not completely eliminate D’Andre Swift’s role, he may be forced to take on a lesser workload as the philosophy and priorities on offense continue to shift with the season in full swing.
One of the major topics of conversation will obviously continue to be the way that quarterback Caleb Williams continues to develop as the season progresses. Through the first four weeks, there have been some bright moments, and with Williams at the helm, this offense has at least looked stable, which is a total change from the way that the entire unit looked during Williams rookie season.
But with the schedule continuing to get tougher, the Bears still need to get more out of Williams. He has, through the last four weeks managed to complete 62.3% of his passes and thrown eight touchdowns to just two interceptions. He’s managed to take care of the ball and has tried to play within the structure of the offense.
The next steps in Williams development include being able to get the ball out to all of his playmakers on a consistent basis. So far, five of his eight touchdowns have been to second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze, and he has connected with veterans DJ Moore and Cole Kmet. Rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III has a touchdown as well but has yet to significantly get involved in the offense.
If this is a team that is going to make a serious run in the regular season and sneak into the playoffs, it’ll all hinge on Williams ability to take a step forward. But also, the other end of the argument is that the former No. 1 overall pick needs the rest of the offense to step up as well.
Halfway through the contest against the Raiders, the Bears opted to pull veteran Braxton Jones from left tackle and instead, insert Theo Benedet in at his spot. The team did not release an official injury designation for Jones, leading many to believe that a change at left tackle is on the way.
A week off has provided the Bears with a legitimate opportunity to evaluate every aspect of the offense, especially the offensive line. A unit that added three new starters in the offseason, the Bears have yet to find a consistent solution at left tackle.
There may not be a viable veteran available for trade in the coming weeks so the only option would be taking a player that’s currently on the roster and making them the starter. Whether that’s Jones or Benedet, the Bears have sent a clear message: They’re open to making a midseason change if they believe it’ll help stabilize the team and allow the offense to have success.
While we won’t know until later this week about a potential change, the Bears may decide that keeping the decision behind closed doors is the best way to handle the situation in an effort to eliminate distractions, especially ahead of a big matchup against a Washington Commanders team searching for an identity.
As mentioned on the opening slide, the Bears have started to develop an identity that centers around being a tough, scrappy football team. The NFL is a league where surprises can happen each week and for the Bears, it means competing with anyone and pulling off some upset wins. The Bears may not be favored in every game moving forward but they have the talent to make every game really interesting.
Preseason projections had the Bears winning anywhere from seven to 10 games and potentially sneaking into the playoffs. For the Bears, the schedule suddenly looks more favorable with certain teams dealing with injuries. If the Bears can figure out the offense and the defensive line, it’s likely that this is a team that manages to heat up in October and November, setting the stage for an intriguing stretch of games in December, where this team could be in the hunt for a wild card spot or even the NFC North.
But for the Bears to actually win the division or sneak into the playoffs, everything will need to fall in place and much of that will start in week 6 against the Commanders, a pivotal game where a win would mean making a statement on national television.
