NFL free agency grades: How did each team do?

Chicago Bears

When Ryan Pace first began as the Chicago Bears general manager, he was regarded as one of the brightest front office executives in the league. Now, he is an absolute joke, and only Dave Gettelman and Bill O’Brien can provide distractions from his sheer ineptitude as a team’s lead decision-maker.

After finally realizing no defense in the league could ever respect an offense quarterbacked by Mitchell “Incomplete” Trubisky, Pace decided to hitch his wagon to one of the worst quarterback contracts in the NFL. Surely the Jacksonville Jaguars were surprised a team bit on acquiring Nick Foles, but maybe they were less surprised when they heard Pace’s voice on the other line.

Foles is an upgrade, though, and he wasn’t the Bears worst signing this offseason. No, this distinction belongs to Robert Quinn. No longer a superstar edge rusher, Quinn is a quality veteran on a bloated five-year, $70 million contract. Quinn is still a quality player who will form one of the league’s best edge rushing duos with Khalil Mack, but this deal will blow up in the Bears’ face if Foles can’t lead the team to a Super Bowl.

Elsewhere, the Bears signed a truly over-the-hill superstar in Jimmy Graham to a two-year deal worth $16 million. They would have been better off signing nobody than giving Graham this deal, which is entirely based upon his name recognition.

If there is a diamond-in-the-rough signing for the Bears, then it could be speedy cornerback Artie Burns, but he’ll have a lot of growing to do mentally in order to be a starter.

Grade: D