After making a splash on offense last offseason, the Chicago Bears grabbed headlines on the first day of free agency by signing defensive end Julius Peppers to a six-year contract worth $91.5 million. The deal is slightly backloaded as Peppers will earn $51 million over the last three years (2013-15) of the agreement and includes incentives for Pro Bowl appearances, sack totals and Defensive Player of the Year honors. Peppers, who had played all eight of his NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers, earned $18.2 million last season under the team?s franchise tag. He declined a four-year, $54 million offer from the Panthers last offseason. This deal is obviously more lucrative. Grade for Peppers: A The Bears had just 35 sacks in 2009, thirteenth in the NFL. That?s slightly above average, but unacceptable for a team that has been known for their defense under coach Lovie Smith. They had just 28 sacks in 2008, but totaled at least 40 in a three-year stretch that began back in 2005. As a direct result of their inability to rush the passer, Chicago intercepted just 13 passes after recording more than 20 three times in the four seasons prior. That allowed teams to attack the Bears through the air like never before; opponents averaged 336.9 total yards per game last season (21st), including 208.8 via the pass. Their defense was average, but not good enough to make opportunistic plays and keep points off the board. They allowed 20.7 points per game, a total their struggling offense couldn?t consistently top. Due in large part to their inability to presser the passer and Jay Cutler?s interception-fest, the Bears had a minus-eight takeaway ratio en route to a 7-9 record. Remember, with Cutler in town they were supposed to challenge the Vikings in the NFC North and contend for the conference championship. Peppers can?t keep Cutler from telegraphing his passes, but he will make Chicago?s pass rush better immediately. He has 81 sacks in his career and has reached double-digits six times. He also has good enough hands to intercept a pass when he drops back a bit. He picked off two last season and has six over eight seasons. As if that weren?t enough, he?ll strip the ball as well. He forced 30 fumbles for the Panthers. He ranks ninth on the active list of sack leaders, but he?s at least two years younger than all but one (Dwight Freeney) of the guys ahead of him. If he remains healthy through the six years of his deal, he has a shot to stand at the top of list (surpassing Jason Taylor?s 127.5 and counting) if Freeney (84) and Jared Allen (72 sacks) don?t have anything to say about it. The Bears may have overspent a little for Peppers and I?ve already heard comparisons to the deal struck between Albert Haynesworth and the Redskins this time last year (which hasn?t worked out as expected just yet). Still, without a first or second round pick next month, gone to Denver in the Cutler deal, Chicago needed to make an impact via free agency and they have certainly done so. Grade for Bears: B+ In addition to signing Peppers, they added tight end Brandon Manumaleuna (five years) and running back Chester Taylor (a four-year deal worth $12.5 million and from the rival Vikings no less). It isn?t necessarily Haynesworth?s fault that he didn?t make the players around him much better in Washington. He did have four sacks in 12 games, not bad for the defensive tackle. Peppers should have a more profound effect individually, while also freeing up some room for Alex Brown, Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher to inflict their own pain. As big as Peppers six-year deal looks, it?s nothing compared the expectations and pressure that came along with Cutler last spring. If Chicago can contain the opposition better in 2010, it?ll relieve some of the stress on their quarterback. Indirectly, this deal should benefit Cutler on the other side of the football. Andrew Perna is Deputy Editor of RealGM.com. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail: [email protected]. You can also follow him on Twitter: APerna7.