As the Bears head into the 2023 offseason, the front office is ready to overhaul the roster. While there are many decisions to be made regarding free agency, there are also tough decisions that GM Ryan Poles has to make when retaining in-house free agents. The Bears have plenty of players ready to hit free agency, but for some, it would be in the Bears’ best interest to move on from them.
Byron Pringle (WR)
Byron Pringle was the Bears’ “big addition” at wide receiver last offseason, but unfortunately, he did not live up to the expectations the Bears wanted out of him. Pringle caught just ten receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns in the eleven games he appeared in. Pringle was expected to be the Bears’ number two receiver last season, but with his performance, it’s likely the Bears will replace him through free agency or the NFL draft.
Ryan Griffin (TE)
Ryan Griffin served as the backup to Cole Kmet at the start of the 2022 season. He played in all 16 games, primarily utilized as a blocker. While Griffin was an efficient blocker when he played, the same couldn’t be said when it came to receiving. Griffin hauled in only four catches for 26 yards. With a stacked tight end class in the 2023 draft, it would make sense for the Bears to find a replacement for the veteran.
Angelo Blackson (DT)
Angelo Blackson began the season as the starter next to defensive lineman Justin Jones but didn’t replicate the same production. After three games, Blackson lost his job to Arman Watts and slowly fell down the depth chart. Given the amount of talent in free agency and the draft, the Bears will be looking to upgrade their defensive line. With a complete overhaul of the roster coming, there isn’t a reason why the Bears should resign Blackson.
