After an initial sprint to open free agency, the Chicago Bears have fallen in line with the rest of the NFL. With March coming to an end, teams are turning their attention toward next month’s draft as opposed to signing a veteran free agent that could cost them a 2027 compensatory pick.
While some veterans do not count toward the formula, those who do are having a hard time finding a new team. That includes former Bears pass rusher Leonard Floyd. Coming off a down season, his market was always projected to be small, but after coming off a down year, his market appears to be shrinking and will likely end the month of March without a job.
Former Bears EDGE Leonard Floyd Still Waiting for a Job as March Closes
At 33 years old, Floyd was already in the twilight of his career. But last year’s performance on the field proved it, as he had one of his worst seasons since being released by the Bears following the 2019 season. Playing for the Atlanta Falcons, Floyd appeared in 15 games, but his 3.5 sacks were his lowest since collecting 3.0 sacks in 16 games for the Bears in 2019.
Pro Football Focus painted an even grimmer picture. Floyd’s 460 snaps were a career low and his lowest total since playing 537 snaps in 2016. His 36 total pressures were also his lowest since recording 39 during the 2019 season. His pass-rush win rate of 16.6% also ranked 50th among 124 qualifying pass-rushers last season and doubled his 8.4% win rate with the San Francisco 49ers in 2024, but it also was a big outlier for a player who has hovered around 10% since leaving Chicago.
- 2020: 9.1%
- 2021: 14.8%
- 2022: 11.0%
- 2023: 10.3%
- 2024: 8.4%
- 2025: 16.6%
It’s an expected turn for a player the Bears took with the ninth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. After being stretchered off the field for a neck injury during his rookie season, Floyd bounced back to appear in 153 games (152 starts) and collect 431 total tackles, 76 tackles for loss, and 70 sacks over 10 seasons in the NFL.
While Floyd’s analytics show that he can get the job done, general managers may also feel like last year was an outlier and could look toward the draft, younger free agents, or those who do not count against the compensatory pick formula to add to their pass rush.
There’s a chance Floyd will find somewhere to play in 2026, and it could happen with a Bears team looking for pass-rushing help. But with the way teams have conducted business, he’s likely to spend the final days of March waiting for a phone call.