How Will the Bears Attack Free Agency?
Since the Bears ended their season with a victory in Green Bay, fans have been looking forward to the offseason.
The first step is free agency, but the Bears started early this year. They’ve already added three players: guard Jonah Jackson, guard Joe Thuney, and tight end Durham Smythe.
These are some great additions to the Bears’ roster, but they will change how they approach free agency.
Jonah Jackson
On Tuesday, the Bears traded a 2025 6th-round pick to the Rams for guard Jonah Jackson. Jackson played just four games this past season, but his resume is impressive. He has connections to Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson, as he played under him from 2020 to 2023. During his time in Detroit, Jackson primarily played left guard, with 3,623 snaps at the position out of his 3,965 total career snaps. But he may have to move to right guard because of another Bears acquisition.
As a player, Jackson has been very good. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2021 and was a great player on the Lions’ O-line. The 28-year-old signed a 3-year $51 million contract with the Rams in 2024 and is scheduled to make $17.5 million this season. To my understanding, the Bears will take on the remainder of Jackson’s contract. This puts a big dent in the team’s salary cap and will impact their flexibility in free agency.
Joe Thuney
PHOTO: Chicago Bears/Facebook
Then, just a day later, the Bears made a massive trade. They sent a 2026 4th-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for guard Joe Thuney. Thuney is a highly regarded offensive lineman who has two first-team All-Pro selections and has made three straight Pro Bowls. He’s also appeared in six Super Bowls, which showcases the impact he makes on an organization. The 32-year-old is one of the most reliable offensive linemen you’ll find in the NFL. In his 9-season career, Thuney has started 16 games or more in eight of them. In the season, he didn’t reach 16 games, but Thuney still finished with 15.
Thuney is also one of the best pass protectors in the NFL. He graded out as the number one pass-protecting guard last season and should have a lot left in the tank. Caleb Williams desperately needs protecting, and Thuney should excel in providing that. His cap hit in 2025 will be $16 million, a great price for an All-Pro lineman.
The Bears traded for a great offensive lineman who will be an immediate starter at guard. This isn’t a move the Bears often make, but it’s one that felt necessary. It fills another hole in the offensive line, which is no longer a desperate need.
Durham Smythe
On Thursday, the Bears signed veteran tight end Durham Smythe to a 1-year deal. Smythe spent the first seven years of his career with the Miami Dolphins, where he played under Ben Johnson in his rookie season. He isn’t quite a receiving threat, as he only has 132 catches and 1,228 yards in his career. But he is known as a good blocker and a solid role player.
Cole Kmet is obviously the starting tight end, but there’s no one behind him. Adding Smythe gives the Bears more depth at the position and brings familiarity with Ben Johnson.
Biggest Positions of Need
After adding two starting guards and a backup tight end, the Bears’ needs are starting to dwindle.
But they still have a lot of work to do to fill out the roster.
Center
Even though Jackson and Thuney will likely start at both guard positions, the offensive line is far from complete. They still need a starting center. Jonah Jackson played center for a brief time with the Rams, but his best and most experienced position is guard.
That leaves only one player on the Bears’ current roster who can play center, and that’s Ryan Bates. I like Bates (if he can stay healthy) as a backup interior lineman, but there’s no way he’s starting next season.
Drew Dalman
The Bears will have to look elsewhere to find their starting center. With approximately $50 million in cap space available, they can’t spend it all on one position. Having said that, I expect them to acquire a good veteran player. Drew Dalman is the most popular free-agent option. The 26-year-old center has played four seasons in the NFL, all with the Atlanta Falcons. In his second season, Dalman became the starting center and played all 17 games. He’s a really good player entering the prime of his career. PFF graded him as the NFL’s fourth-best center last season with a 78.8 offensive grade. While injuries have riddled Dalman throughout his career, it’s not very often that a player of his caliber and age becomes available.
According to PFF, Dalman is projected to sign a 4-year $56 million ($30 million guaranteed) contract. If this is true, then the Bears would have more than enough money to acquire him, and they shouldn’t have to break the bank to do so.
Offensive Tackle
Darnell Wright has cemented himself as the starting right tackle and has shown glimpses of an All-Pro player. The left tackle position is a different story. Former 5th-round pick Braxton Jones has been the Bears’ starting left tackle since he was drafted in 2022. While he isn’t a top tackle in the league, Jones isn’t horrible, either. He’s proved he can hold his own and is a starting-caliber tackle in the NFL. However, his rookie contract is almost up, and the Bears will soon look to upgrade.
There aren’t many cheap left tackle options in free agency. If the Bears wanted to find Braxton Jones’ successor, I believe it would be through the draft.
Defensive End
Outside of Montez Sweat, the Bears don’t have any other impact players at defensive end. Second-year player Austin Booker and fourth-year player Dominque Robinson are the only players of significance at the position. The Bears should attempt to resign Darrell Taylor on a team-friendly contract. Taylor had 3 sacks and 13 pressures last season and would be a solid depth piece for the D-line.
Depth is always important, but the Bears NEED a legitimate starter opposite Montez Sweat. There are plenty of options if the Bears want to address the position in free agency.
Josh Sweat
Before you ask, no, Josh Sweat is not related to Montez. Although pairing the two together would make for a great pass rush off the edge.
Josh Sweat has played seven seasons with the Philidelphia Eagles and tallied 43 sacks in that span. He made a Pro Bowl appearance in his third season and racked up 11 sacks the season after. At just 27 years old, Sweat’s contract won’t be cheap. Spotrac projects Sweat to sign for $18 million per year for three years. The Bears have the money to go after him, but I think they’ll pass on Sweat.
Khalil Mack
As a fan, I would move Heaven and Earth to reunite Khalil Mack with the Chicago Bears. Mack was dominant in Chicago, finishing his 4-year stint with 36 sacks. Even at an older age, Mack is still a productive edge rusher.
While I would love the Bears to sign him, money seems like an issue. PFF projects Mack to sign a two-year deal worth $22.5 million each year. This is just too much money for the Bears to spend on an old edge rusher, but I wouldn’t be upset if it happened.
Chase Young
As a former teammate of Montez Sweat and having played under Dennis Allen, Chase Young is a potential target for the Bears. He finished last season with 5.5 sacks, but he has all the talent in the world. Spotrac predicts Young could make $17.5 million per year, which is way too rich for me. If the Bears can make a reasonable offer to land Chase Young, I’d be on board.
Defensive Tackle
The Bears need to improve their defensive line, including the defensive tackles. Andrew Billings was great last year before he got injured, and Gervon Dexter has proven he can be an NFL starter. They need one more starting-caliber player to help shore up the run defense and apply pressure to the quarterback.
Milton Williams
If the Bears are looking to spend big at defensive tackle, Milton Williams would be a perfect option. The 25-year-old is coming off a breakout season with 5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and 24 combined tackles. He was a force on the Eagles’ defense and had to split snaps with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
Williams is projected to earn $17 million per year, according to Spotrac. The deal would be an expensive one, but a player of Williams’ talent could be worth it.
Wide Receiver
The Bears are primarily a two-man wide receiver room with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. Keenan Allen is a free agent and will likely leave.
Their other notable receiver is Tyler Scott, who hasn’t gotten many opportunities to play. The draft would be a perfect place to add a #3 receiver, but I think they’ll sign one in free agency.
Josh Reynolds
Josh Reynolds is someone Ben Johnson seems to have a strong connection with. Reynolds played under Johnson in Detroit for about three years and started 29 out of the 39 games he played in. As a Bear, he would provide size and become a reliable receiver with a lot of experience. Signing him wouldn’t prevent the Bears from drafting a wide receiver; it would just give them extra depth at the position.
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown
Marquise Brown, a.k.a. Hollywood Brown, is a speedy receiver with great vertical ability. He’s the type of player the Bears are missing in their receiver room. They need someone who can take the top off the defense, and Brown is capable of that.
At just 27 years old, Brown projects to sign a two-year $15 million deal with about $8 million per year (per Spotrac). He’s one of my favorite free-agent targets for the Bears, as long as the money works out.
Anticipated Approach
After trading for two starting guards making a lot of money, I expect the Bears to be “picky” in free agency. They will allocate their money responsibly and only go after players they love. I also don’t expect them to spend most of their money on one player, which would rule out someone like Khalil Mack.
The draft is coming soon, and the Bears have a boatload of draft capital. To get younger and more talented and save some money, it would be wise to acquire the majority of new players through the draft.
The Chicago Bears have already made some significant moves this offseason, and they are just getting started. Free agency officially begins on March 12th at 4 P.M. ET, but tampering begins on the 10th, when you’ll start hearing about signings.
Expect the Bears to have a responsible yet divisive free agency.
PHOTO: Chicago Bears/Facebook
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