I've always said that free agency is no place to build a foundation for a franchise. It can be a nice place to plug a hole here or there or add a little depth but you're not going to successfully build a 53-man roster via free agency. Now, the Bears have had so many roster needs that they've been forced for many years now to be far more active in free agency than they would otherwise like to be. Hicks was an excellent signing for the Bears last season and now could be in line for a contract extension. Linebackers Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman were decent additions when you consider the cost and that they play inside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, not the greatest of impact positions. Rolle didn't work out and it turned out he didn't have much tread left on the tires. Fortunately, that wasn't a great expense. Royal was a poor signing, in my opinion. The Bears had to know McPhee had knee issues when they brought him on board and is often the case in free agency, players with injuries in their past have durability issues. We'll see how right tackle Bobby Massie, another player who received solid money in free agency, plays this season after a rocky start to 2016. It's further evidence that the biggest winners in free agency aren't always winning when it comes to January. In the Bears' case, they haven't been able to get to January. It's a buyer beware world in free agency. As far as Jeffery, he didn't have a lot of personal interest in returning to the Bears so it's difficult to place blame on Pace for his departure. Had the Bears topped other offers by a wide margin I suppose it's possible he's still with them, but that's rarely prudent. Keep in mind also that free agency is a two-way street.