ClutchPoints
Sculpting a roster is difficult, and the Chicago Bears face tough decisions with their players and those they may chase from other teams. But here is why Chicago is labeled as the best fit for Chiefs star Trey Smith in free agency, according to espn.com.
“The top interior lineman on the market, Smith would upgrade a critical position of need in Chicago,” Matt Bowen wrote. “Smith is a powerful mover in the run game, as his run block win rate of 75.1% ranked sixth among guards.
“Plus, he has the foot speed to mirror interior defenders and the strength at 6-6 and 321 pounds to anchor against bull rushes. Bears general manager Ryan Poles could make a splash move to rebuild the front for Ben Johnson’s new offense. The Bears allowed a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, so this area has to be addressed.”
ESPN ranked Smith No. 2 on its free-agent list. He’s also in that spot, according to Pro Football Focus.
“Smith’s 78.8 PFF overall grade in the regular season ranked 11th among all guards,” PFF wrote. “And he will still be only 25 years old when free agency opens. That’s a good combination for a big payday, given that multiple players at the position signed deals at or exceeding $20 million per year in 2024.
“The complicated element when projecting a contract for Smith is the reason he fell to the end of the sixth round in the 2021 NFL Draft: He was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs. On the field, he is every bit of a prized free agent. Factoring in his health is the key question.”
Health certainly enters the issue for any team that signs Smith. But then again, every NFL player is one play away from a potential injury. Teams should not shy away from Smith because of his health situation.
Smith dealt with tough times while playing college football at Tennessee, according to nytimes.com.
“I fell into a depression,” Smith said. “I felt like I didn’t have any worth. In my eyes, I failed my mom because I couldn’t keep the promises I made to her.”
But Smith leaned on a Bible verse, Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
He eventually made it to the NFL and now stands as a prized free agent. New Bears head coach Ben Johnson said the offensive line must be better., It’s an area of concern, according to bearswire.com.
“I think the offensive line is certainly an area that we need to get better play from going forward,” Johnson said during his introductory press conference. “Something that Ryan (Poles) and I have already talked about.”
The post [Why Bears are...
