Winning a 49ers starting guard job to open last season, ran into injury trouble and ultimately lost his job. The veteran interior O-lineman suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2, being part of another injury-riddled 49ers season. Upon return, Bartch did not reacquire his starting job.
With the signing of fourth-year veteran Sam Howell, Dallas made things more competitive for Joe Milton III and upgraded the room from Will Grier. Howell started all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023, so at least brings a wealth of experience compared to Milton.
We were involved. We checked into it. We looked to see if it made sense, had some dialogue. I'll leave it at that. - Bears general manager Ryan Poles regarding Maxx Crosby trade discussions, confirming Chicago's participation in negotiations while remaining cautious about specific details of their involvement.
The most tangible reason to trade for Gary instead of waiting for him to hit the market was control over the financials. Had Gary been free to sign anywhere, a bidding war would have likely drove up his price. Instead, by acquiring his current contract (which no longer had guaranteed money), the Cowboys got leverage to rework his deal.
Interior defensive tackles rarely command huge trade packages unless they completely dominate games. We're talking elite tier defensive tackles. Players like Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence, and Quinnen Williams get those types of packages. Those players force double teams every snap and completely change offensive game plans. Osa Odighizuwa is a strong player and an effective interior rusher, but he doesn't stop the run at all.