With the new NFL year — and the official opening of free agency — only a week away, the Chicago Bears’ offseason roster building is about to kick into high gear.
What would an ideal free-agency period look like? Who are some potential targets? And what effect would that have on the team’s draft plans? The Tribune’s Brad Biggs answers all of that and more in his weekly Bears mailbag.
What is a best-case scenario for the Bears in free agency? — Lucas H., Crystal Lake
The negotiating window opens Monday and the Bears are seventh in the NFL with $61.4 million in salary-cap room, according to spotrac.com, after agreeing Tuesday to trade with the Los Angeles Rams for guard Jonah Jackson. The have a host of needs, primarily on the offensive and defensive lines, and the first order of business will be aligning the coaches’ vision with potential fits in free agency.
As you are well aware, the Bears have mostly been relatively active to very active in free agency over the last decade and have little to show in the win column for their “victories” in March. The best signing in that period was defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, whom they signed to a two-year, $10 million contract in 2016. It wasn’t a banner signing at the time, but he turned into a dominant player for the Bears. So my first point is often the best signings in free agency aren’t the ones collecting the largest paydays.
Let’s start with some key points:
1. A lot of teams have a lot of cap space to burn. Eleven teams — more than one-third of the league — have more than $50 million in room. That includes two division rivals: the Minnesota Vikings ($63.7 million, sixth in the league) and Detroit Lions ($52.7 million, 11th). The Green Bay Packers, who rank 13th with $48.8 million, often are conservative in free agency but made two home-run moves a year ago by adding running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney. Nineteen teams have more than $34 million in cap space, so more than half of the league has plenty of operating room.
2. It’s not a great year when you scan the list of available free agents. There are some good players, but elite performers rarely reach the open market in the prime years of their career. As I wrote last week coming out of the scouting combine, the Bears have signed only three unrestricted free agents since the advent of free agency in 1993 who were named to multiple Pro Bowls with the team.
3. After the move to acquire Jackson, the Bears need more help on the interior of the offensive line — another guard and a center — a starting defensive end opposite Montez Sweat and more depth on the interior of the defensive line.
4. Not all of that help has to come via free agency.
I believe the free-agency plan probably starts with Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman. It’s a position the Bears have had difficulty filling, and the center crop in the draft is pretty thin. Dalman is smart — he played at Stanford — and has good tape. It’s unlikely he would be a free agent if the Falcons weren’t one of the few teams pressed against the salary cap.
Dalman won’t be cheap. He’ll have suitors, and supply and demand probably puts a contract for him somewhere between the league’s two highest-paid centers — Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs ($18 million) and Frank Ragnow of the Lions ($13.5 million) — in terms of annual average.
If the Bears can add Dalman with Jackson in the fold (the trade won’t be official until the new league year starts), they would have all sorts of flexibility for the other guard position. They could add a more modestly priced veteran, wait until the draft or do both.
After Dalman, you need to focus the defensive line. The Bears don’t have a starter opposite Sweat. They hope Austin Booker can take a step forward in his second season as a rotational player, but they need talent and depth on the line.
There aren’t a ton of options, and unless they land an end such as Dayo Odeyingbo of the Indianapolis Colts or Josh Sweat of the Philadelphia Eagles, you could be looking at a bridge signing whom they’re comfortable with for maybe two seasons. Khalil Mack, Malcolm Koonce, Azeez Ojulari, Joseph Assai and Patrick Jones fit that category.
If the Bears are shopping for an interior defensive lineman to pair with Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings, you’re probably looking at Milton Williams (really expensive), B.J. Hill, Javon Hargrave, Javon Kinlaw or maybe Levi Onwuzurike, whom coach Ben Johnson knows from the Lions.
If general manager Ryan Poles can add a center in free agency and a defensive end who can play 650 snaps or more, the Bears would have filled two big needs and have more flexibility looking ahead to the draft. In a best-case scenario, the Bears have Dalman and a solid end a week from today, and then they can look to fill other areas with more modestly priced additions. I still believe if they’re going to rebuild the offensive line the right way, the plan has to include a high draft pick.
The Bears will pay Jonah Jackson $17.5 million a year. That seems like a ton to pay a guy who did not even start on his own team last year. What do you think of this trade? — Mike F., Chicago
The first thing to understand is this is a move that Ben Johnson, without question, gave his stamp of approval. There’s no way the Bears would have traded a sixth-round draft pick for Jackson unless Johnson endorsed the move. Jackson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2021, spent his first four seasons in Detroit, so Johnson knows what kind of player he is on the field and what kind of teammate he is in the locker room.
Something went very awry last season for Jackson with the Rams. There’s no getting around that. He suffered a shoulder injury in training camp, aggravated it during the season, spent time on injured reserve and then was benched. He played in only four games (two starts at center, one at left guard and one at right guard) after the Rams signed him to a three-year, $51 million contract in free agency a year ago, and generally when a team bails on a high-priced free agent after only one season, something has gone badly.
Some will view this as a red flag. Others will see a yellow flag, and the Bears, with Johnson’s knowledge, are going to trust their coach.
Here’s what I know: Two teams I reached Tuesday really liked Jackson a year ago when he entered free agency.
“Weird deal in Los Angeles,” one player personnel director texted. “I don’t have any idea what happened there. He’s a good player. I’ve always liked him. They didn’t have to give up much and with only two years remaining on the deal, it’s not like they’re tied down with him.”
“High grade on him a year ago,” a pro personnel director texted. “Really good run blocker. Much better at guard than center.”
Jackson, 28, is due a $9 million base salary this season and an $8.5 million roster bonus on March 14, the third day of the league year. His 2026 base salary is also $9 million with an $8 million roster bonus due on the third day of the league year. So you’re looking at $34.5 million for two seasons, or the Bears could move on from Jackson after this season at $17.5 million and have nothing on the books in 2026.
The trade tells me the Bears are more comfortable with Jackson at $17.25 million a year than they are investing in the guard market in free agency. There aren’t a lot of top targets — Aaron Banks and Will Fries are at the top of the list — and many teams have both need and cap flexibility. So the Bears flipped a pick for a player their coach has confidence in, and they get cost certainty as opposed to engaging in a bidding war in which the market could escalate beyond their comfort level. Signing Banks or Fries or one of the other free-agent options likely would have cap implications beyond 2026 too.
This fills one-third of the Bears’ needs on the offensive line. Where they project Jackson to play is unknown, but the vast majority of his experience in Detroit came at left guard. His addition gives them a little more flexibility entering free agency.
Is it a mistake to take Ashton Jeanty at No. 10? — @jaychi_bears
“Mistake” might not be the right word. Jeanty is super talented and looks like the kind of player who will enjoy a really productive NFL career. He was a lot of fun to watch at Boise State with a powerful lower body and great contact balance and vision. The question I would have about Jeanty — before we get into the Bears’ specific needs — is how productive he can be in the passing game.
The running back has made a comeback in the NFL, especially last season, with so many defenses leaning on two-high shells to prevent big plays. We’ll have to wait and see if the trend continues, and the Bears certainly figure to take a close look at the position in this draft class.
That being said, the 10th pick is rich territory for a running back unless you’re talking about one who can be a dual threat along the lines of Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, a healthy Christian McCaffrey or even Jahmyr Gibbs. If teams believe Jeanty has that kind of ability, it’s not a stretch to consider him in the range around No. 10.
Jeanty caught 23 passes last season, when he was the runner-up in Heisman Trophy voting, and had 43 catches in 2023 with a 13.2-yard average. Numbers alone won’t tell the full story of Jeanty as a receiver, but you have to take a close look at his impact in the passing game if you’re thinking about drafting him that high. I suspect teams will have varying opinions regarding his overall ability as more than just a runner.
It’s hard to envision the Bears filling all of their needs on the offensive and defensive lines in free agency to give them the leeway to make what could be viewed as a bit of a luxury selection in Jeanty. Everyone agrees the offensive line needs a serious makeover. If that’s done only via free agency, you’re going to be talking about a short-term fix at a position or two. The Bears are so far away from a team like the Eagles on the defensive line that it would take multiple offseasons to build up that group to an elite level.
Ryan Poles can and should get a head start on addressing needs in the trenches via free agency, but as I detailed above, free agency generally isn’t where you find stars who will galvanize the depth chart. Poles has to add more pieces via the draft to actually transform the roster. There’s no short cut to accomplish this, and if you’re of the mind the Bears can plug enough holes on the lines to be in a position to draft Jeanty, I think you’re trying to create one. Remember, this is a deep, deep draft at running back, and there will be great options on Day 2 and good ones on Day 3.
Even if the Bears do evaluate Jeanty as a multidimensional offensive weapon, you’ll have a hard time convincing me they would go with someone other than an offensive or defensive lineman with the 10th pick. Maybe things will look differently in two weeks, but I doubt it. The needs are clear and obvious. There should be strong options available. If draft value matches up with needs, don’t overthink it.
The goal for the Bears in free agency has to be to get to a spot where they can draft the best player available. It’s what everyone talks about. I believe the Bears can add an exciting running back in later rounds after fortifying areas that can’t be overlooked or filled simply via free agency.
What running back in the draft best fits what Ben Johnson is looking for? — Rick C., Lemont
We’re doing some guesswork here when it comes to what Johnson will be seeking in a running back. He has spoken positively about D’Andre Swift, and a natural complement would be a more physical back who can be a tone setter. If you’re using the Lions as an example, the Bears have a poor man’s Jahmyr Gibbs in Swift. They need their own version of David Montgomery, the former Bear.
Ashton Jeanty, as discussed above, would fill that role. I just have a hard time believing the Bears will be in a position where they can use a first-round pick on a running back for the first time since selecting Cedric Benson out of Texas in 2005. North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton would be a perfect fit, but he might come off the board in Round 1.
Both Ohio State running backs are talented, but Quinshon Judkins is more of a physical pounder than TreVeyon Henderson. Kansas’ Devin Neal profiles as a downhill runner with a nice combination of size and speed. Possible Day 3 picks could include Central Florida’s R.J. Harvey and Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II.
It probably would depend on how the Bears evaluate Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson. Some I chatted with compared him loosely to Matt Forte as a glider and a long, galloping runner. Forte was a tremendous player for the Bears, but you wouldn’t call him a thumper if that’s what you’re seeking. Those are just a few names, and we can get into other talented backs as the draft gets closer.
What would be the cost of trading for Trey Hendrickson assuming he’s the odd man out in Cincinnati? Would it be wise given his age and his impressive production the past few seasons? — @brewsandtattoo
The cost you need to be thinking about is what it would take to sign Hendrickson, 30, to the new contract he desires. He’s entering the final year of his deal and is set to earn $15.8 million in base salary with another $200,000 in per-game roster bonuses. Hendrickson wants a raise, and if the Bengals can’t hammer out an extension with him, he could be available in a trade.
Hendrickson led the NFL with 17½ sacks last season and has 35 over the last two seasons. He has been remarkably consistent in Cincinnati with 57 sacks in 65 games over the last four years.
The Bengals originally signed Hendrickson as a free agent in 2021 to a four-year, $60 million contract. They tacked on one more season in 2023, adding another $21 million. Now he has outperformed the deal and is seeking to be paid like the top edge rushers. Five edge rushers currently average $25 million or more per season, and the Bears’ Montez Sweat is tied for sixth at $24.5 million. I’d have to imagine Hendrickson wants to be somewhere in the top five.
If the Bengals are forced into a corner where they don’t have the resources (or desire) to pay Hendrickson what he’s seeking, the actual trade compensation to acquire him probably wouldn’t be over the top. The Bengals have said they want to keep him and they should. But they have some highly talented offensive players they need to take care of as well, including wide receiver Tee Higgins, who was franchise tagged Monday. They also have to pay wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
I’m of the opinion, and it might not be a popular one, that the Bears need to move away from trading for players who are getting new, top-of-the-market contracts. They’d be in a much better position if they could pay a 26-year-old in free agency like the Bengals did with Hendrickson in 2021. That way they would be buying the best years of a player entering his prime without forking over a draft pick.
Even better, of course, would be drafting an edge rusher who develops into a dominant force. I’ve covered this topic for some time. The Bears, for the better part of the last two decades, have struggled to develop homegrown pass rushers.
At this point, with Hendrickson on the wrong side of 30 and having played 110 career games, you’re eventually going to start getting diminished returns on the investment. Are the Bears, coming off a five-win season, really in a position where they should write a premium contract for a 30-year-old pass rusher? They’re in Year 1 under Ben Johnson, and I don’t know that they would be eager to flip a draft pick, even a mid-round selection, to then pay huge money to a pass rusher entering his ninth season. That doesn’t make sense to me.
Credit the Bengals for identifying and signing Hendrickson after a breakout season in 2020 for the New Orleans Saints. They’ve reaped the benefits, and Hendrickson has earned a raise with his play. The Bears would have to feel comfortable that he would remain an elite performer for the next three seasons to consider this. Hendrickson is a hell of a player, but you’ll have a hard time convincing me the Bears are at a point where it makes good sense to spend big on a player who is 30.
If you’re talking about a player who is 30 or older, I think the Bears are better off targeting a free agent on a more modest contract that’s ideally no longer than two years, three tops. That way draft capital isn’t involved and they could move on relatively quickly. That move ideally would coincide with the point where they have a young player on a rookie deal emerging to play a key role.
That’s if they don’t find a free-agent fit with a younger player receiving a second contract. One really interesting player is Dayo Odeyingbo. A second-round pick by the Colts out of Vanderbilt in 2021, he has great length at 6-foot-6, 286 pounds. He hasn’t missed a game in the last three seasons and has 16 sacks in that span. His name was hot last week at the scouting combine when I chatted with folks from different teams, but no one has a firm idea what the market for the 25-year-old Odeyingbo will look like. The range I got was all over the place, leading me to believe a big deal could be awaiting him.
I’m a little curious about Malcolm Koonce and Joseph Ossai, two younger players entering free agency. Koonce, 26, missed all of last season for the Las Vegas Raiders with a knee injury suffered in training camp, but he had eight sacks and 29 pressures in 2023. If his medical status checks out, he’s interesting. Ossai turns 25 next month and is coming off a five-sack season for the Bengals. Former Bear Khalil Mack, 34, likely would appeal to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who was head coach of the Raiders when they drafted Mack with the No. 5 pick in 2014.
What free agents from the Lions (coach Ben Johnson), Broncos (offensive coordinator Declan Doyle) and Saints (defensive coordinator Dennis Allen) are the Bears most likely to pursue? — @mmesq11
It would make sense if the Bears land a few free agents with whom coaches have experience. I think wide receiver Tim Patrick (Lions) is a good fit. The Bears could get a No. 3 receiver with experience playing for Johnson without having to pay too much. The 6-4, 212-pound Patrick would be comfortable doing the dirty work in the running game and running routes in the middle of the field.
Another Lion who could be a potential fit is veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, although he turns 35 on Saturday and there’s at least a decent chance the Bears will eye the draft for a starting guard after acquiring Jonah Jackson. Swing tackle Dan Skipper is a possibility. He has had three stints on the Lions roster, so you wonder if he’s content remaining in Detroit. As I mentioned earlier, defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike is another possibility.
I’m not sure the Broncos have any offensive free agents who would be a good fit for the Bears. As for the Saints, defensive end Chase Young will be on the market. The Bears didn’t have a lot of interest in him when the Washington Commanders were trying to trade him in 2023 and the Bears focused on Montez Sweat instead. Young had 5½ sacks last season and at this point has more name recognition than production. After a series of health setbacks, he missed only one game over the last two seasons, but I’m not sure Young fits what the Bears are trying to build.
The Saints’ Juwan Johnson is the top free-agent tight end, and Allen would be able to provide a scouting report on him. He has the ability to help as a receiver and a blocker. I think the Bears will reimagine this position around Cole Kmet with a free agent and a draft pick, but I’m not sure if that plan would include paying Johnson upward of $8 million per season. That’s just a guess on his pay range.
What is the status of Kiran Amegadjie? Do the Bears view him as a possible starter or do they regard him as a backup? — Norman G.
Amegadjie played 125 snaps as a rookie with more than half of those coming in his lone start in Week 15 at Minnesota. He was put into a difficult spot on the road against a talented front that does a lot to disguise where pressure is coming from, and he struggled.
I’ve gotten questions all offseason about the third-round pick from Yale, and folks want a definitive answer on where he is and what his role will be. I can’t imagine anyone would want the new offensive coaching staff to come in with preconceived notions about the players in place, especially on the line and including Amegadjie.
He wasn’t able to participate in the offseason program last year and missed training camp and the preseason while recovering from surgery to repair his quadriceps. What I can tell you is the Bears weren’t the only team intrigued by him going into the draft last year, and if they’re going to offer all players a clean slate with a new staff and system, you can understand why it’s impossible to answer this question.
Every coaching staff talks about letting players compete for positions. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. I would venture to guess the Bears will have some real competition, especially at certain positions, including left tackle. It’s impossible to say what Amegadjie’s trajectory will be after such a small sample size during his rookie season and considering the time he missed. Now a new staff is in place. Why don’t we let them start at square one and see where it goes?
What restricted free agents will be tendered? — @scott_a_miller
The right-of-first-refusal tender is $3.263 million, and I’m not sure if the Bears will wind up using that on any of their restricted free agents. Candidates for a tender include defensive tackle Chris Williams and cornerback Josh Blackwell. Williams is the most logical candidate because linemen are always in demand. It’s possible the Bears would work to find middle ground with these players on a contract that’s worth less than the tender but more than the minimum.
These RFA tenders aren’t guaranteed, so the team could add a guarantee to a multiyear contract in order to get a deal done. Maybe something like a two-year contract worth $5 million with, say, $2 million guaranteed.
I fully expect the Bears to bring back exclusive-rights free agent Daniel Hardy, as the defensive end was one of their most productive players on special teams. Other players who are exclusive include defensive tackle Jonathan Ford and guard Bill Murray. It’s possible they return as well.
Is there a substantial upgrade to the training staff pertaining to strength/conditioning and injury? — @josemulero5
The Bears were relatively healthy last season. Strong safety Jaquan Brisker missed most of the season with a concussion, but that’s not a strength or conditioning issue. Defensive tackle Andrew Billings missed half the season with a torn pectoral muscle, and left tackle Braxton Jones had a knee issue and then suffered a broken leg, but the latter came at the end of the season.
A lot of folks thought the change in head strength and conditioning coach was due to health, but the Bears largely avoided serious injuries last season. They wound up elevating assistant Pierre Ngo to head strength and conditioning coach.
In the NFLPA survey released last week, players graded the weight room at Halas Hall an A, the strength coaches a B-plus and the training staff a B. I’m not aware of any changes to the training staff.
It seemed to me the coverage on punts was terrible last year. Did the numbers bear that out? — @barrymotivates
The Bears finished 20th in the league in punt coverage as opponents averaged 10.3 yards per return. That was close to where they finished in net punting average: 19th at 41.6 yards. You definitely don’t want to give up an average of a first down on punt returns so they will look to improve on that, but I wouldn’t characterize it as terrible.
It’s worth noting that while the average was higher than they would like, the longest return they allowed was 27 yards, so it’s not like they got hit for a touchdown. They weren’t far from the middle of the pack. The Buffalo Bills ranked 16th at 9.3 yards.
Punter Tory Taylor was a rookie and got better as the year went along. He has a very strong leg and there were definitely a few instances when he outkicked the coverage. I think he will be improved in his second season. Special teams units will aim to allow less than 7 yards per return.
