The Chicago Bears already have a stacked offense. That's not the case with their defense, which is why they can't afford to lose the few star contributors they have on that side of the field. As such, keeping Kevin Byard III in town is a tall order.
Fortunately for GM Ryan Poles, they may not face many hurdles doing so. According to a report by Bears insiders Kevin Fishbain and Dan Wiederer of The Athletic, Byard's market hasn't been as active as it seemed.
The Bears May Not Face Steep Competition for Kevin Byard
"Even coming off a season in which he led the NFL with seven interceptions, Byard’s market might not be as robust as he’d hoped. One league source believes the Bears could potentially bring him back on a deal similar to the two-year, $15 million package he originally arrived with. Byard will turn 33 in training camp and still doesn’t register league-wide in the Kyle Hamilton, Budda Baker, Kerby Joseph, Derwin James class at the position," the report read.
Byard thrived under Al Harris' tutelage. He may have had the best season of his ten-year career. He was instrumental to the Bears' defensive success, and given how much this defense relied on takeaways and big plays, they can't afford to lose the league leader in interceptions.
That said, opposing teams might be hesitant to give a 33-year-old safety such a big contract. They may feel like he's due for regression after logging first-team All-Pro honors, and -- truth be told -- it would be hard to blame them.
Nevertheless, the Bears managed to keep their defensive backs coach in town, and Byard is already familiar with Dennis Allen's schemes and system. He may not be an elite player for years, but he should at least be above-average for the next couple of years. Even if that's not the case, that's not a risk the Bears should be willing to take.
This looks like a classic win-win scenario. Byard is thriving and playing the best football of his career, and the Bears are probably the only team willing to meet his financial aspirations. It just makes too much sense.
General manager Ryan Poles will have to leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of help for the defense. The front seven left plenty to be desired, and they failed to put any pressure on the quarterback. As for the secondary, they might lose Nahshon Wright and could part ways with Jaylon Johnson.