NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal has included the Bears as one of four teams he's eager to see on the field "in their new form" after a flurry of free agent activity.
Since the start of the new league year March 14, the Bears have signed seven unrestricted free agents, highlighted by former Jaguars receiver Allen Robinson.
New Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson during a 2016 game with the Jaguars against the Titans.
"New coach Matt Nagy's expected aggressive offensive philosophy was quickly matched in free agency by GM Ryan Pace's fervor in acquiring Nagy some toys," Rosenthal wrote. "It's incredibly rare to see a receiver with a true No. 1 skill set become available in free agency, so Pace accepted some risk in Allen Robinson, who is coming off a torn ACL. Although, in 2018, it's not that huge a risk, anyhow, with most young players returning from ACL surgery nearly good as new."
The other free agents the Bears signed include tight end Trey Burton (Eagles), receiver Taylor Gabriel (Falcons), quarterbacks Chase Daniel (Saints) and Tyler Bray (Chiefs), outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (49ers) and kicker Cody Parkey (Dolphins).
"In tight end Trey Burton and wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, the Bears paid a lot of money for role players," Rosenthal wrote. "But Pace was determined to build Nagy's offense from scratch quickly in the same manner that Snead did for Rams coach Sean McVay and quarterback Jared Goff last year. Now second-year pro Mitchell Trubisky will have an array of options, with Nagy able to dictate matchup advantages on the perimeter. The Bears needed a group of weapons, not just a signing or two. With running backs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen already in place, they at least have a starting five.
"Pace is not done yet, as the team must continue to fill out its wide receiver depth. But the Bears' moves on defense (re-signing cornerback Prince Amukamara and picking up linebacker Aaron Lynch, a former acolyte of coordinator Vic Fangio) bodes well for that side of the ball remaining steady."
