The bulk of the NFL’s acquisition period is in the rearview mirror, which means all 32 teams will shift their focus to rookie minicamps and the offseason program. Despite coming off an 11-6 season and their first NFC North title in seven years, the NFC North is once again expected to be hotly contested.
While some would categorize the Chicago Bears’ offseason as eventful, they’ve failed to fill all of their holes. The good news is that there are still a few quality free agents available. The bigger
question is whether the Bears will seek additional help. If they do, don’t rule out the trade market. For now, we’ll focus less on potential names and more on which positions could use some additional attention heading into the latter part of the offseason. Here are three of the Bears’ biggest remaining needs.
1. Defensive End
The most obvious remaining need on this roster is defensive end. At the start of the offseason, both general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson spoke in-depth about needing more production from their pass rusher. Both also acknowledged how the last two Super Bowl winners have sent edge rushers in waves to overwhelm some of the league’s elite quarterbacks. Yet, when push came to shove, the Bears failed to make a move at the position.
It was clear that the free agent market was too expensive for their budget. In theory, it would have made sense to sit out an expensive open market that saw the likes of Jaelen Phillips receive $30 million per year, while failing to eclipse the 10-sack mark over the first five years of his career. That assumption would have been with the expectation that they would spend a high-round pick at the position. Instead, they went with the higher-graded talent in Dillon Thieneman, while watching a run in the second round before their first selection at 57.
Even if the team is counting on bounce-back performances from a motivated Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner, both players are not only coming off serious leg injuries but are not guaranteed to be healthy for Week 1. In addition, both players struggled with consistency and overall impact in their injury-shortened seasons last year. Long story short, the Bears not only need some insurance, but they also need more upside in a group that has been widely disappointing for years now.
Time will tell whether money will be an issue, which could limit their options. The “top” of the remaining free agent market likely tops out around $10 million, but there could be a couple of mid-range options sitting closer to $4-$6 million. If those names don’t inspire confidence, there are a few trade options that could be on the table, although those would require more money and draft capital.
Potential Options:
Josh Sweat (Trade), Cam Jordan (FA), Jadeveon Clowney (FA), Kayvon Thibodeaux (Trade), Joey Bosa (FA), Derek Barnett (FA), Mike Danna (FA), and Kyle Van Noy (FA).
2. Defensive Tackle
On paper, this is a position that has seen plenty of turnover. Andrew Billings and Chris Williams departed in free agency. At the same time, the Bears added three names in free agency, including Neville Gallimore, Kentavius Street, and James Lynch, while taking Georgia Tech’s Jordan van den Berg in the sixth round of last month’s draft. While one could argue that the focus was far more on scheme fit than name recognition, this is still a group that could use a difference-maker.
If you’re looking beyond the upcoming season, this group has just three players (projected to make the roster) under contract for 2027, with veteran Grady Jarrett looking like a prime cut candidate next offseason. There’s plenty of room to add to the future, but with Dexter Lawrence no longer a trade option, it’s worth wondering what else is out there.
There’s been some optimism that van den Berg could contribute meaningful snaps in year one, especially as a one-technique, but counting on a late-round rookie is always a tough ask. While players like Gallimore and maybe Street should add some needed pass rush, adding another run-stuffer could make some sense. Again, though, the options will be limited unless there’s a surprise cut or trade in the works.
Potential Options:
DaQuan Jones (FA), Larry Ogunjobi (FA), Greg Gaines (FA), Mario Edwards Jr. (FA), Foly Fatukasi (FA), Justin Jones (FA), and Jordan Phillips (FA).
3. Wide Receiver
Although shipping off DJ Moore to Buffalo made sense both financially and in terms of needed draft capital, it still left the Bears with a sizable hole at receiver. While there’s strong optimism around the duo of Rome Odunze and Luther Burden heading into the season, neither has produced a 1,000-yard season. Odunze was well on pace to get there before a foot injury slowed him down. That said, the depth behind those two remains questionable at best.
Now, on one hand, it’s worth noting that Ben Johnson has not historically valued his third and fourth receivers as much as most teams. It’s also notable that they went out and signed Kalif Raymond to a one-year deal earlier this offseason. That said, he was at his best as the fourth option in Detroit. While Jahdae Walker made late-season waves as an undrafted free agent, it’s also worth mentioning that he was a healthy scratch during both playoff games.
Taking Zavion Thomas in the third round adds depth. Still, both Poles and Johnson admitted during their post-draft press conference that their primary focus for him in the early going will be on special teams, namely as a returner. We saw how slowly they brought along both Colston Loveland and Burden last year, so it’s best to temper expectations, especially in the first half of the season. Even if the Bears don’t require a high-caliber pass catcher, adding some additional proven depth could help ease their plan into place and guard against any injuries to the top names on the depth chart.
Potential Options:
Noah Brown (FA), Josh Reynolds (FA), Tim Patrick (FA), Zay Jones (FA), Curtis Samuel (FA), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (FA), Scotty Miller (FA), and Tyler Johnson (FA).
