The NFL Draft is the pinnacle of offseason action. Until training camp, and perhaps even then, nothing will come close to the excitement of meeting our rookies for the first time. However, with five months to go until regular season action, a long offseason is still ahead.
The next milestone began Monday afternoon when veteran free agent signings no longer counted into the formula for compensatory picks in the 2024 draft. Past this deadline, the NFL world can always expect a wave of new signings, reflective of the remaining roster holes after the draft. For Chicago, this likely means picking up a veteran edge rusher.
One of the names circling Bears Twitter is former Monster of the Midway Leonard Floyd.
Part of the fearsome 2018 Chicago Bears defense, 30-year-old Leonard Floyd played four seasons in Chicago before heading to the Los Angeles Rams. His production improved as a Ram, recording more tackles in three consecutive years than he ever had in a season on the Bears.
Unless Floyd is willing to take a small, short-term contract, we’re unlikely to see a reunion. General Manager Ryan Poles has made a point of building a young roster with proportional contracts. Floyd carries a projected market value of $13.7 million per year, which would rank second on the team behind DJ Moore as a salary.
Floyd should find a home in the league, as he racked up the third most assisted tackles last year. However, his overall PFF score is 65.7, which is far less impactful than the Bears need from a pass rusher this season.
Another veteran free agent edge, Jadeveon Clowney, scored 75.8 from PFF. He looks to join his fifth team in ten seasons and is accustomed to short-term deals. If he is willing to take a $2-3 million contract, the Bears run into the potential of another late-career resurgence from a once-dominant pass rusher, similar to that of Robert Quinn.
Poles will likely use one of his 2024 first-round picks on an edge, but putting a competent placeholder on the field now should give him a better idea of how the team can stack up and where glaring holes remain.
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