Offense Back in Familiar Afterthought Role

Analysis: The Bears of Ryan Pace overspent on defensive players in free agency and created a cap imbalance, so on the first day of free agency with a new GM they again turn to defense.

Bears GM Ryan Poles hardly stepped into free agency with a safe move.

It definitely wasn't the expected move, either.

The first reported move made by the Bears in unrestricted free agency is a bit of a gamble as they were reported by NFL Network to have signed Cincinnati defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.

The deal has been reported by the Tribune's Brad Bigs at $40.5 million for three years with $26.35 million.

Although Ogunjobi definitely made an impact as a defensive tackle for the Bengals in a season when they made the Super Bowl, and helped them improve from 29th to fifth against the run, he is lightly regarded by analysts.

CBS Sports did not list him among the top 25 defensive free agents while the analytical website Pro Football Focus does not list him among its top 200 free agents overall.

Sports Illustrated does have Ogunjobi at No. 22 on its list of 221 free agents.

PFF's slight is understandable because they downgraded Ogunjobi's play all season long. In fact, PFF calls this a "poor investment" in their free agent tracker. They say he received sub-60 level grades for them over three straight years, which is mediocre to poor. Yet, they credited him with 40 QB pressures and eight sacks last year. 

Both numbers were higher than the sacks and pressures totals given to Ogunjobi by official NFL stat partner Sportradar. Ogunjobi had 24 pressures and seven sacks by their tracking.

#Bears fans aren’t taking the Ogunjobi contract/signing well…

1. 3-tech is one of, if not, the most important positions in the Eberflus defense.

2. The salary cap will continue to expand in coming years.

3. Grading a signing before a snap is played isn’t totally fair.

— Lukas Berry (@LBerry_40) March 14, 2022

The problem really isn't where Ogunjobi is rated. It's where he plays. 

The need for the attacking presence in the middle of the line was apparently greater in the eyes of Matt Eberlfus and Ryan Poles than the need for a wide receiver to catch Justin Fields' passes or a lineman to block for him.

To anyone who has watched the Bears treat the end zone like they needed a GPS to find it, this isn't where they thought free agency would begin.

On the day Eberflus was presented to the media in Chicago he informed everyone about the importance of finding that three technique. It was that position which might have separated the Bears of Lovie Smith in 2006 from a Lombardi Trophy, as Tommie Harris' season-ending hamstring injury deprived them of that inside pass rush from a three technique. They needed it in the Super Bowl to get in Peyton Manning's face and force him to throw before he wanted.

However, this defensive acquisition seems to run contrary to what most people see when they look at how poorly the Bears played on offense last year and how Fields struggled with consistency.

Last year is over.

Plenty of coaches have tried different tactics on offense over the decades in Chicago. The problem isn't the look with their offense.

It's the smell.

The offense might try something new this year, but until they can add plenty of new talent it's going to still have the same old aroma it took on after years and years sitting and rotting in the depths of the NFL.

If the Bears truly are committed to turning around the offense, they need to let their spending indicate they are serious about it.

They need to clear the air.

They need to sign offensive players. Signing a defensive tackle even at a need position doesn't do it.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven