NFL free agency is set to kick off on March 11 with the legal tampering period allowing for teams and agents to discuss parameters of a contract before the official signing window opens on March 13.
Bears safety Adrian Amos is expected to be one of the most coveted defensive free agents on the open market, and with the Giants’ decision to not franchise tag Landon Collins, New York could be a real threat to lure Amos away.
Amos has been one of Chicago’s most reliable defenders over the last few seasons and has turned into one of GM Ryan Pace’s best draft picks. Pace selected Amos in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft, which is usually a round that’s reserved for depth and special teams players.
Amos is coming off back-to-back quality seasons for the Bears. He graded as the team’s sixth-best defender in 2018, per Pro Football Focus, and was the team’s highest-graded defender in 2017.
Now, he’ll get a chance to see just how valued he is across the league. The NFL’s top safeties are paid between $10 million and $13 million annually, and if Amos is considered in that elite class by at least one team, he’ll be as good as gone.
Amos isn’t the only key Bears defender hitting the open market. Cornerback Bryce Callahan is expected to have suitors, too, making Pace’s job that much more complicated. He can’t go 0-for-2 in his attempt to keep the defense in-tact, but there’s a good chance both players will be offered contracts at a level the Bears simply cannot match.
