Earlier this week, The Washington Commanders and their top wide receiver Terry McLaurin agreed to a three-year contract extension following McLaurin sitting out of the team’s mini-camp. The contract extension now ensures that another top receiver will not be reaching free agency next season as the Chicago Bears are expected to sign a top-level player at the position. New Bears’ general manager Ryan Poles has unfortunately seen many elite wide receivers end up on new teams this offseason, as he has stood idly by.
Commanders’ WR Terry McLaurin officially signed his three-year contract extension today. pic.twitter.com/UAc10aLnvs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 5, 2022
Poles Has Yet To Be Proactive With An Extremely Active Receiver Market
Since the start of this offseason, several premiere pass-catchers have been traded to new teams or signed contract extensions with their current teams. Many of these players were projected to become free agents following the 2022 season. The Bears, following the trade of All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack, cleared up significant salary-cap space for the 2023 offseason as they are projected to have over 100 million dollars in cap space. The wide receiver free agent market for the 2023 season initially appeared to be a memorable one, but over the past five months has now dwindled down to nothing.
Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, AJ Brown, and McLaurin were all receivers heading into the final year of their contracts that have either been traded to new teams this season or have signed contract extensions. The Bears have been hoping to add a top-level pass-catcher with second-year quarterback Justin Fields to help better Fields’ chances of developing into a successful quarterback in 2022.
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Surplus WAR value of the picks in wide receiver trades this offseason:
Tyreek Hill: 1.25
Davante Adams: 0.96
AJ Brown: 0.87
Marquise Brown: 0.42
Amari Cooper: 0.11— Kevin Cole (@KevinColePFF) May 5, 2022
With an impressive list of receivers now unavailable for the 2023 free agency market, Poles needs to be proactive with the small list of receivers still projected to be free agents next offseason and who are upset with their current team. All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel and Pro Bowl receiver DK Metcalf are the two most notable players at the position still projected to reach free agency next year.
Metcalf and Samuel are currently unhappy with their current contract situations with their teams, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Both players have missed their team’s mini-camps recently and could potentially hold out during training camp, which would make both of them even more available for a potential trade.
Samuel is coming off a terrific 2021 season, in which he recorded over 1,405 receiving yards and led the league in yards per reception with 18.1. With his impending free agency status following the 2022 season, the All-Pro receiver has requested a trade from the 49ers as the team has yet to make a significant contract-extension offer. Although Samuel is unhappy, it is in San Francisco’s best interest to re-sign the wide receiver as he is their best player on offense.
Deebo Samuel has not rescinded his trade request from the 49ers, per @JFowlerESPN
The Niners are still hopeful they can mend the relationship @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/VS3DstDMur
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 26, 2022
Metcalf’s situation is different as the Seahawks are expected to embark on a lengthy rebuild following the trade of All-Pro quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. It wouldn’t make sense for Seattle to spend significant money to re-sign the Pro Bowl receiver when the team is expected to be uncompetitive for the next several seasons. It would be in the Seahawk’s best interest to trade Metcalf in return for several draft selections to help with their rebuild.
It Is In Poles’ Best Interest To Acquire A Top-Level Receiver Now
With Samuel and Metcalf potentially available via trade right now, Poles needs to consider trading for either player. Adding a premier pass-catcher to pair with Fields and the Bears’ best wide receiver in Darnell Mooney, would morph Chicago’s offense into an explosive unit. Samuel or Metcalf, paired with Mooney, would give the Bears’ young quarterback two 1,000-yard wide receivers to throw to. Poles acquiring either player would speed up Chicago’s current rebuild while enabling the team and Fields a chance to be more successful this season.
From a front-office standpoint, trading for either Samuel or Metcalf right now makes more sense for Poles, given what could happen from now to the 2023 free agency period. Either player could be traded to a new team and sign a contract extension reducing the talent level for the free agency market immensely. Additionally, Poles may have to overpay for a pass-catcher of lesser talent solely for the need of making a significant addition at the receiver position for the Bears.
GENO SMITH FINDS DK METCALF FOR THE TOUCHDOWN.
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/jJAnv2qh8L
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 8, 2021
The other issue the Bears’ front office could face by hoping either player reaches next year’s free agency is getting caught in a bidding war. Chicago will likely have the most cap space in 2023, and it may be in Samuel and Metcalf’s best interest to negotiate for more money, knowing that the Bears will face more competition with an open free agency market, especially since it already known that they have a weakness at the position.
Many fans and analysts argue that Poles and the Bears shouldn’t risk giving away valuable draft selections to trade for a wide receiver, but the team is projected to use one of their top draft picks on a receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft. The risk of drafting a player with that high level pick is that the player may not pan out to be successful. If Poles trades a high-level draft selection for Metcalf or Samuel, the Bears will have an already established player.
Deebo Samuel really has 1600 total yards and 13 total touchdowns.
18 yards per catch.
6 yards per carry.
simply absurd.
best football player in the league.#FTTB
— J r u e (@thatl0calguy) January 3, 2022
The Bears have clear intentions of adding a top-level receiver to their team next offseason, whether via free agency or the draft, but the market isn’t cooperating with their plans. Poles needs to act now as he has the resources to execute a trade for an elite pass-catcher that would make his team significantly better immediately. This offseason has already shown that being stagnant is more costly than being proactive.
There’s a big difference between signing a free agent and trading for a guy and then extending him. You trade for DK you give up a big % of your cap space but you also give away the picks that help build your future line. So, now how are you going to get that LT or stud OG in the draft? Don’t forget that this team still needs the three technique D lineman. So, NO WAY! Don’t give up the future. Draft your own stud WR AND the O lineman AND the D lineman. Let folks give you multiple picks… Read more »
The Bears are at a point where they have enough cap money next year that they need to start spending some of it. Would people rather have a DK or Deebo and 80 million in available cap money next year or not have one of them and have over 100M in available cap space next year? 😄. They are going to have to over spend on some players in order to get any good ones to come and play for Chicago otherwise they will play with another team. By trading for a great player you automatically own the rights to… Read more »
I understand building through the draft, but at the same time you want to come as close to the cap as possible when building a roster. Right now the Bears need to spend money as they have more money than they know what to do with. Teams don't compete for SBs by leaving 20 -30 million in available cap money open.
I want a star receiver as well but as mentioned "it doesn't make sense for Seattle to pay DK in a rebuilding year" is the exact same thing with Chicago. This article is extremely biased. As far as either of them hitting FA next year, that's the least likely option. Star WRs rarely hit FA therfore Poles isn't banking on that either. They will both either get extended or traded. I would love to trade for either WR but Poles has repeatedly held his ground therfore I believe he will do so here. I like a lot of things that… Read more »
Why would you purposedly insert a Cancer to your team when you are trying to reverse the losing culture? Not gonna happen. Poles is not going to doll out 2 firsts for anybody. Let the perennial losers do that.