When thinking about how the Chicago Bears will approach free agency, it’s a safe bet they will try to fill at least one of their biggest roster holes with an aggressive move. They have more than enough cap space to do so. Experts believe it will come down to one of two positions. It will either be a right tackle on offense or a defensive tackle on defense. The Bears had no interior pass rush last season, which was a big reason opposing QBs had lots of success against them. That three-technique spot is vital to Matt Ebeflus’ scheme.
Early signs don’t show much promise for the 2023 draft class. There are some intriguing defensive tackle prospects, but it’s not an overly deep group. Jalen Carter getting into trouble with the law didn’t help. This may force the Bears to find their solution in the veteran market. There are some viable options. Perhaps the most alluring is Dre’Mont Jones. The former 3rd round pick has posted at least 5.5 sacks in each of the past three seasons for the Denver Broncos. His mixture of size and quickness is tailor-made for the three-technique position. Chances are good he will hit the open market. So what might he cost?
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune got a tip on that information.
“Word is Dre’Mont Jones is seeking $18 million per season. The marketplace for high-caliber defensive tackles has soared the last two years, and Jones is a good player. The Denver Broncos remain in talks with him, but it would be surprising if he doesn’t test the market. The Bears were going to pay (overpay) Larry Ogunjobi $13.5 million per season to be the three-technique last year before medical concerns kiboshed the deal. So given their intense need and the lack of options after the Washington Commanders placed the franchise tag on Daron Payne, it stands to reason they might overpay Jones.”
The Chicago Bears can afford Jones. Will they pay that?
It’s not an easy answer. Poles has stated he doesn’t want to get caught overpaying players in free agency. He wants to make smart, selective choices that help the roster. Paying Jones $18 million per year would put him on the same level as Washington Commanders star Jonathan Allen. Nobody would say those two players are the same. Allen is a force. Jones is a good player, but he isn’t that. Then again, the 26-year-old has played in defenses that never fully fit his skill set. Chicago’s would.
Then again, Poles could opt for a cheap route by going after Zach Allen. While he hasn’t been as productive as Jones, he took a big step forward in 2022 and is the same age. Signing him for a few million dollars less might be worth the risk of not getting the same impact. This hinges on how the Chicago Bears view Jones. Nobody in the league can pay more to get him if they think he can thrive in their system. Otherwise, they might not like the idea of paying Pro Bowler money to a guy who has never been to one.
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Never heard of him
Not anything close to worth $18 million.
Javon Hargrave has more sacks and tackles in his three years with Philly than Jones has in his 4 year career. Remember that the Steelers played Hargrave as a true over-the-center nose tackle (he still had 14.5 sacks and more tackles than Jones in his first 4 years). Hargraves gets consistently better PFF grades too.
Spend the extra $2 million a year on a three year contract and get a much better player.
Tommie Harris and Mike Brown were both out for the Bears SB game against the Colts. Both being healthy would have made a big difference.
I think the key here is to offer Jones a front loaded contract, with most of the cap hit happening this year, so that if he underperforms or his play goes downhill, he won’t be getting paid as much in later years, and he could be cut with almost no cap hit. Of course, if he blossoms and becomes a 10 sack a year guy, then they renegotiate his contract to fit the production. We should be so lucky.
Dean,
The chances that Tommie Harris would not have had medical issues was very small. When Angelo drafted him, he knew the report on him was that at the combine, he had the knees of a 50 year old, substantial cartilage degradation and a high chance of having a shortened career. That’s part of the reason he fell to the Bears. That said, I still think they beat the Colts in Lovie’s Super Bowl if Harris was healthy for that game. Ah, what could have been, ….