Kevin Byard signing sends clear message about Bears’ plans ahead of Caleb Williams decision originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Bears general manager Ryan Poles filled a key hole Sunday by signing veteran safety Kevin Byard to a two-year contract just one day before the NFL’s legal tampering window opens on Monday at 11 a.m. C.T.
Byard is a 30-year-old, two-time All-Pro safety who will fill the hole vacated by Eddie Jackson’s release. Byard gives the Bears a free safety, whose skill set should mesh well with Jaquan Brisker. Byard is better in coverage than Jackson and a much surer tackler. Last season, Byard earned a coverage grade of 70.3, per Pro Football Focus, and only missed 4.7 percent of his tackles. Jackson earned a coverage grade of 60.0 and missed 15.6 percent of his tackles. Byard has also started 121 of 130 career games, which gives him a leg up on Jackson in the availability category.
The signing of Byard checks an important box and sends a message about where Poles believes the Bears are at this point in the rebuild ahead of the expected decision to draft Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Bears gave Byard a two-year, $15 million contract despite the market being flooded with veteran safeties from Justin Simmons to Xavier McKinney and Quandre Diggs.
Poles could have let the safety market come to him and taken option B or C if Byard had signed elsewhere. Instead, Poles moved fast to lock down a proven veteran safety who should be a clear upgrade over Jackson in 2024 and 2025.
If Poles didn’t believe the Bears were ready to start contending this fall, there is no reason to give a strong deal to a soon-to-be 31-year-old safety when it’s clear the NFL is devaluing safeties.
Two years ago or even last year, Poles probably would have stayed patient and waited for a value signing at a preferred number. There’s no reason to jump the gun when realistic contention is far off.
But the Bears clearly feel it’s no longer far…
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