With a wealth of assets, the Chicago Bears are in a position to take a big class.
The Chicago Bears are in a great position to improve their roster. They have a whopping net worth of $98.84 million, and have the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
If they play their cards right, the Bears can invest their assets in a competing roster for years to come.
Let’s break down the Bears’ perfect offseason plan into three steps.
Step 1: Focus on defense in free agency
Money will flow to the Bears during free agency, and it’s imperative that they invest in the defensive side of football. Last season, the Bears defense gave up a league-high 27.2 points per game.
After swapping Khalil Mack, Rokan Smith and Robert Quinn, they lost an elite defender. They should target the best free defensive agents on the market. Two good options are linebacker Jamel Dean and rusher Marcus Davenport.
Dean has flown under the radar. In 2021, he was targeted 66 times and allowed a completion percentage of just 48.5 percent, which was the fourth best mark in the NFL. In addition, he gave up a passer rating of 50.0, which was the fifth-best mark in the league.
In 2022, Dean had another great season. He was targeted 65 times and allowed a 55.4 percent completion rate.
At the age of 26, Dean is still in the midst of his prime. Spotrac expects its market value to be $16.5 million per season.
Meanwhile, Davenport would give the Bears a much-needed pass. The Bears were last in the NFL in sacks last season (20). In 2021, Davenport recorded nine sacks in 11 games.
2022 has been a complicated year for Davenport. Early in the season, he suffered a shoulder injury. In November, he suffered a calf injury. Davenport finished the year with just 0.5 sacks in 15 games, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. He was not very healthy, and played in only 50% of the Saints’ defensive hitting. There are still some encouraging stats. He has endured 34 pressures, and his passing score of 75.0 PFF is tied for 24th among edge defenders. He’s ready for the bounce season.
Like Dean, Davenport is also 26 years old. Spotrac expects to have a market value of $23.2 million per season.
