Getty The Bears are expected to acquire multiple new weapons for quarterback Justin Fields in 2023.
Despite debate about whether the Chicago Bears need to add more power to their backfield in 2023, the oddsmakers seem convinced they could take a real swing at bringing back New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.
According to the latest odds from BetOnline.ag, the Bears are considered the favorites to sign Barkley in the event that the Giants let him walk in free agency. Chicago (+300) is getting slightly better odds than the rest of the pack, which includes the Buffalo Bills (+400), Denver Broncos (+500), Kansas City Chiefs (+600) and Baltimore Ravens (+700).
Barkley is coming off the second Pro Bowl season of his career after rushing for a fourth-most 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns and adding 338 receiving yards on 57 receptions in 2022. Short of Josh Jacobs, there is no offensive weapon more dynamic than him set to hit the open market when the new league year begins on March 15. Even with a concerning injury history, he would be a superstar addition for the Bears.
Chicago could need a new starting running back next season if David Montgomery does not return in free agency. The 2019 third-round pick has rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 touchdowns over his four seasons with the Bears, but while both he and the team have expressed mutual interest in sticking together, it is tough to count on him being back in 2023 until the pen is officially put to paper on a new deal.
Could that open the door to someone like Barkley joining the roster, though?
Will Giants Strike Deal With Barkley Before Free Agency?
Normally, the biggest obstacle in free agency is money, and the Bears don’t have to worry too much about that heading into the 2023 offseason. According to Over the Cap, they are scheduled to have more than $98 million in cap space after releasing Al-Quadin Muhammad — for about $4 million in savings — earlier this week. That means they can throw quite a few resources at a number of high-profile free agents in 2023.
Unfortunately, the Giants are still in the way.
New York has a few ways it can still keep its star running back from hitting free agency. The first — and most obvious — is signing him to a new contract extension in the coming weeks before the NFL’s legal tampering period opens on March 13. The Giants aren’t doing too bad on resources themselves with about $46 million in cap space, and there aren’t many weapons more important to their offense than Barkley.
The Giants could also franchise tag Barkley; although, it seems more likely they will use the tag on quarterback Daniel Jones instead after his breakout season in 2022. A running back, even one as good as Barkley, is easier to lock up than a potential franchise quarterback. Still, the Giants having two tag-eligible players could create a window of opportunity for other teams looking to potentially secure Barkley’s services.
Ryan Poles Will Prove How He Values RB Spot in 2023
GettyDavid Montgomery is due to be the Bears’ biggest free agent of the 2023 offseason.
The Bears essentially have three options for how they can handle their backfield this offseason: 1.) Take a small swing and extend David Montgomery. 2.) Take a big swing and sign someone like Barkley or Jacobs. 3.) Trust Khalil Herbert and Trestan Ebner — and probably a rookie draft pick — to take the reins and hold things down.
The Bears finished with the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL last season, so it would make sense if Poles recognized a good thing for what it was and worked to keep it together with Montgomery. Montgomery has never had a 1,000-yard, OPOY-contending season like some of the league’s elite backs, but he is a dual-threat option out of the backfield and a sturdy pass blocker that helps Justin Fields do what he does.
Still, upgrades are upgrades, and while Montgomery has served the Bears well, there is no denying there are options that are as good or better than him on the market, including Tony Pollard, Jamaal Williams and Kareem Hunt. Poles might also fall in love with one of the rushing prospects in the 2023 class — Chase Brown, perhaps? — who is likely to be around in the later rounds after they’ve handled their bigger business.
Regardless of what they do, we could learn a lot about how general manager Ryan Poles values the running back position as he begins his second year in charge.