Frustration grows after Chicago Bears NFL free agency announcement

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Mar 17, 2026 9:44 PM ET

The Chicago Bears have been busy reshaping their roster this offseason. General manager Ryan Poles added key pieces on both sides of the ball, trading for center Garrett Bradbury and signing safety Coby Bryant.

The Bears also signed linebacker Devin Bush and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore. Fan favorite Case Keenum also returned.

But the moves came at a cost. Poles traded wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Buffalo Bills, drawing immediate public backlash. Chicago’s secondary also took a significant hit, losing Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Nahshon Wright and Jonathan Owens.

Now, the Bears are facing more criticism after announcing another roster move that didn’t sit well with the fan base.

Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones (70) after the game against the Dallas Cowboys.

NFL: Chicago Bears’ re-signing of Braxton Jones draws criticism

The Bears officially re-signed offensive tackle Braxton Jones on Friday. Chicago brought him back on a one-year, $5 million contract, with another $5 million in incentives available.

The team shared a photo of the signing on their Instagram page with the caption: “Fresh ink

”

The announcement didn’t land the way the front office may have hoped. Fans made their frustrations clear in the comments.

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A post shared by Chicago Bears (@chicagobears)

One user dropped a gif with the message “THE BEARS STILL SUCK.” Another wrote, “We could’ve signed Brisker and Byard instead of this bust.”

One commenter simply said, “I miss DJ already.” Others piled on. “We wanted Brisker bro,” one fan wrote.

A separate commenter added, “Bro what are we doing.” One user also noted, “With all these re-signings we could’ve got Crosby, ya know.”

The frustration stems from Jones’ recent track record. Chicago selected him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He started 44 games over his first four seasons.

In 2025, he fell out of the starting rotation in favor of Theo Benedet. He played just six games with four starts and posted a 55.5 PFF grade on 210 snaps. A knee injury later landed him on injured reserve.

Bears fans aren’t wrong to expect more. Chicago went 11-6 in 2025 and won the NFC North title for the first time in seven years.

With expectations rising heading into 2026, Jones faces pressure to recapture the form that once made him a reliable starter.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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