Neville Gallimore DT

[ASHKUM BEAR]

Bears are signing DT Neville Gallimore

2 year 12 mil deal per sources.

[ASHKUM BEAR]

He replaces Billings, has more speed. 

Jarrett, Dexter, and Gallimore is a nice start if they add 1 or 2 through draft. 

 

[BearFan PHX]

Yup, big signings or not, we always also sign mid tier free agents to fill holes so we dont get screwed if the draft doesnt go well for us, and we have to reach for positions. You avoid that by having someone you can put there if necessary. Then you draft rookies close to BPA, and some will play behind and eventually overtake those vets we signed for $6M/yr or less.

Some years you make a big splash with a big name player, and some you dont, but either way you always fill holes before the draft.

OK so we have signed

S Coby Bryant at $40M/3yr (thats a starter $13.3M/yr)
DT Neville Gallimore at $12M/2yr (thats a rotational player and hole filler $6M/yr)
LB Devin Bush $30M/3yr (thats a starter $10M/yr)
LB Demarco Jackson $10M/2yr (backup or LB3 on running downs, pushing for LB2 $5M/yr)
DE James Hardy $6M/2yr (special teams player $3M/yr)

Great Hole filling, and we have new starters at S and LB.

And maybe I'm wrong, maybe Gallimore will start at NT. His salary says less though.

Certainly is getting started on an upgrade on the Defense. Bryant and Bush are both upgrades.

I think I predicted as many as 5 new starters on defense this year. There's 2 already. I feel like they will go after the defense like they did the OL last year.
 

[Stinger226]

Like you said, they have upgraded the NT spot over Billings. Spent decent money on a good LB and Bryant was their big contract.

This is making a better picture for where we might be drafting in the early rounds. DE and LT appears to be on the table. A 3 tech DT and S will be high. With Bush I think LB falls down the draft order. If RB is BPA, you think we may add there?

[BearFan PHX]

I dont even think Bryant is that big of a splash. These are all good solid signings, and obvious upgrades over last year.

Also, it speaks to our weakness stopping the run. We signed DT, LB and S - improving at all three levels right up the middle.

Id LOVE to see a proven pass rusher, but they are not necessarily in reach now. But the people we have signed will definitely give DA pieces to cook with. And I suspect we spend a lot of draft capital on the defense as well. We might see a DE in the $15M range, but I think the chances of a Trey Hendrickson are no sure thing.

But is it possible one of our first three picks goes to WR or RB? sure it is, if they are believed to be dominant players by our staff.

Also, we havent really fixed the LT spot yet. What we do in free agency might affect our draft needs, or not, depending on who we sign.