Getty Cornerback Anthony Brown, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, looks on during a game against the New England Patriots in October 2021.
The Chicago Bears haven’t had to concern themselves with savvy value plays thus far in free agency, but there’s no reason to scorn low-risk bargains amid a rebuild.
That’s exactly the type of play that former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown can offer any franchise willing to take a shot on him following a serious injury he suffered late in the 2022 campaign. Brown tore his Achilles tendon against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13 after starting the entire year up to that point for the playoff-bound Cowboys.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN criticized the Bears on May 30 for failing to use any of their 10 draft picks or $75 million in salary cap space to select or sign a top-end left tackle or edge rusher. He also noted a lack of attention paid to the defensive backfield by general manager Ryan Poles.
“The secondary didn’t see much help, either, as the only significant addition was second-round pick Tyrique Stevenson,” Barnwell wrote.
Stevenson was penciled in as a starter on Chicago’s depth chart as of Wednesday, per ESPN, though the two players the team ultimately decides to start at cornerback are likely to solidify their positions during training camp, which doesn’t begin until the end of July.
The Bears can use some depth and experience in what is otherwise a young secondary, and Brown is a free agent they can pursue on a short-term value contract, as he rehabilitates from his Achilles injury and attempts to re-establish his value as a starting cornerback on a contending NFL roster.
Anthony Brown Has Been Quality NFL Starter Over Past 2 Seasons With Cowboys
GettyWide receiver Nelson Agholor, formerly of the New England Patriots, catches a pass in front of cornerback Anthony Brown, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, during a game in October 2021.
Brown is a good bet to fight his way back to health and on-field prosperity next season. Drafted in the sixth-round (No. 189) by Dallas in 2016, Brown worked to eventually carve out a role on the front end of the depth chart, starting all 16 games he played in 2021 and the first 12 contests of 2022.
Over that span, Brown amassed 113 tackles, including two tackles for loss, 24 pass breakups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown. The cornerback surrendered completion percentages of 53.3% and 52.9% in the last two seasons, respectively, as well as collective passer ratings of 78.4 and 89.7 to opposing quarterbacks, per Pro Football Reference.
Brown will play almost the entirety of the 2023 campaign at the age of 29 and will be essentially undertaking a season-long tryout for another lucrative future contract, as he is unlikely to sign a big deal coming off such a serious injury. Brown played out the final campaign of a three-year, $15.5 million contract last year, which he signed with the Cowboys in 2020.
Bears Can Sign Former Cowboys CB Anthony Brown to Deal While Still in His Prime
GettyCornerback Anthony Brown, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, celebrates a defensive touchdown with cornerback Trevon Diggs during a game against the New York Giants in October 2021.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report on Wednesday, June 14, listed Brown as the ninth-best unsigned free agent under the age of 30, emphasizing that the cornerback wouldn’t be on the list at all had he remained healthy through the end of last season.
Make no mistake — that injury is the only reason that Brown remains unsigned this late into the offseason. There are a number of corners who have already signed new deals and found new homes who don’t have Brown’s ability or resumé.
Brown allowed just 65 of 122 passes thrown in his direction to be completed in 2021 and posted a passer rating against of 78.4. For the record, that passer rating against is lower than Trevon Diggs‘ was last year. And Darius Slay of the [Philadelphia] Eagles. Brown’s numbers weren’t quite as good in 2022, but he was still a solid NFL starter.
With more than $32.5 million in remaining cap space, the Bears will not jeopardize their chances to add a quality edge rusher to the defense by signing Brown to a one- or two-year deal.
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