Although general manager Ryan Poles clearly stated he was going to be patient during free agency, it was still difficult for many fans to make it through nearly two days with seeing the Bears sign just one player in Larry Ogunjobi.
Later Tuesday evening, the Bears finally struck — and did so twice. Poles and the Bears agreed to terms with former Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Nicholas Morrow, and almost immediately after that news, the team also agreed with former Green Bay Packers interior lineman Lucas Patrick.
Both of these players will prove to be excellent signings in the short-term, but how do they project down the line for the Bears?
Both Lucas Patrick and Nicholas Morrow can provide plenty of help in both the short and long-term future of the Chicago Bears.
Let’s start with Morrow, who was the Bears’ second free agent signing this week. It was definitely not expected for Poles to start out with two defensive signings when everyone was focused on the other side of the ball.
But, Poles has continued to stick to his plan and stay patient, looking for the smart signings and not necessarily the splashy ones. Morrow, 26, comes in and will start at one of the linebacker positions next to Roquan Smith, complimenting him well.
He’s a fast player who can drop into coverage, which is something Matt Eberflus has been looking for in future Bears players. At his age, Morrow could stick around for a while. He’s young, which is also another characteristic Eberflus and Poles are looking for.
Poles strikes as a guy who will want to take care of his own in future years, and build as fluid a roster as he can. Morrow could be next to Roquan Smith for quite some time, and that longevity is important when analyzing a rebuilding team.
Now Patrick may be a couple years older than Morrow, at 28, but he is certainly a player to get excited about. His contract will prove to be an immense value looking back on it two years from now.
In 2021, Patrick finished third amongst centers in ESPN’s pass-block win rate. Essentially, the Bears just signed the third-best pass blocking center in all of football at just $4 million per season. That’s an absolute steal by Poles and his team.