The Chicago Bears are making another much-needed addition to their defensive line before the start of the 2023 NFL draft later this month.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bears are signing former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Rasheem Green to a one-year contract, making him the third free agent they have added to their defensive line since the new league year began on March 15.
Green’s deal with the Bears is worth $2.5 million, per Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus, with $850,000 guaranteed and $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses.
Green has made 29 starts in his 69 career games, including a 16-game run as a starting edge rusher for the Seattle Seahawks during the 2021 season — in which he hit career-high marks in sacks (6.5), tackles for loss (six), quarterback hits (15) and pressures (34). The 25-year-old also played 16 games and made five starts for the Houston Texans in 2022, adding another 3.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits and 42 total tackles.
Green will now join a Bears defensive end room that also added former Tennessee Titans starter DeMarcus Walker during the 2023 offseason. Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson — a 2022 fifth-round pick — are also set to return in 2023. While Walker and Gipson are favorites to be the starters, the 6-foot-4, 279-pounder should make for a quality rotational addition to the lineup for the upcoming season.
Rasheem Green Another Value Signing for Chicago
Green is by no means a perfect signing for the Bears. While he did have a modest breakout with the Seahawks in 2021 when asked to become a full-time starter, he took a step backward in his lone season with the Texans when transitioning from a 3-4 scheme in Seattle to a 4-3 base defense in Houston that is similar to the one the Bears run. At the same time, he is a young player — he turns 26 in May — with nearly 70 games of experience and the upside to be a regular contributor for Chicago’s defense, and he is once again an example of how Bears general manager Ryan Poles has prioritized value.
The Bears had opportunities over the past month to add top-of-market help for their defensive line. Guys like Dre’Mont Jones (signed with Denver for three years, $51 million) and Javon Hargrave (signed with San Francisco for four years, $84 million) were among some of the best-looking fits for their defense on paper, and Chicago sitting on a league-leading amount of cap space (about $75 million) at the start of free agency. Instead, though — with eyes on the draft — the Bears opted to make value investments in some mid-tier free agents who played some of their best ball in 2022.
The Bears spent a decent amount of money on Walker, who signed a three-year, $21 million contract, but the deal will look excellent if the 28-year-old can prove that his seven-sack season in Tennessee last year wasn’t just a fluke and either replicate or outdo his 2022 production in Matt Eberflus’ defense. They also got a good value on defensive tackle Andrew Billings, who signed for one year and $3.5 million after solidifying himself as a stout run-stopper in 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders.
None of these signings have the prestige of guys such as Hargrave, but all three of them have qualities that should help raise the bar for Chicago’s defensive line in 2023. The Bears finished the 2022 season with the fewest sacks (20) and the worst run defense (157.3 yards allowed per game), so getting guys with proven experience is a priority. It will also help to have veteran mentors in the room if — or rather when — the Bears add some rookie draft picks to the equation, potentially with Day 1 or Day 2 selections.
Bears Likely to Add More DE Talent in 2023 Draft
The Bears might not be telegraphing their overall approach to the 2023 NFL draft, but it is largely expected that they will make significant investments in their defensive line when the draft begins at the end of April. They might even consider using the No. 9 overall pick on one of the top defensive linemen in the class, especially if Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter or Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson is sitting there.
The good news is Chicago won’t have to ensure they take a defensive lineman in the first round. The 2023 draft class has a relatively deep group of edge rushers and could have some Day-1-starter candidates available in the second and third rounds, such as Felix Anudike-Uzomah, BJ Ojulari, Adetomiwa Adebawore, Tuli Tuipulotu, Isaiah Foskey and Andre Carter II. Meanwhile, the interior defender group has few high-end options outside of Jalen Carter, Bryan Bresee and Kalijah Cancey but should have a lot of talent available in the mid-to-late rounds with Baylor’s Siaki Ika and Florida’s Gervon Dexter Sr. among some of the best fits for the Bears.
The Bears have 10 picks in the 2023 draft, including four of the first 64 selections and double picks in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh rounds. The first round of the draft will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 27.
Comments
Bears Add Former Seahawks Starting Pass Rusher: Report