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Don’t look so down, Jay. Help is on the way. Today marks the beginning of NFL free agency. It appears the Chicago Bears are playing the role of the Washington Redskins as the league’s biggest spenders so far.

The Bears signed Chester Taylor away from the Minnesota Vikings to a four-year, $12.5 million deal according to ESPN.

It’s a smart move for Taylor, who is likely to see more carries than he did with Minnesota while playing behind Adrian Peterson. The signing of the 31-year-old Taylor is not a ringing endorsement of Bears running back Matt Forte.

Earlier in the day Chicago signed tight end Brandon Malumaleuna to a five-year deal.

Meanwhile, the Bears appear to be the frontrunner in the Julius Peppers sweepstakes. The Chicago Sun-Times says a signing is imminent.