Bears Quietly Circling A Possible Boost For Their Defensive Line

After their initial surge at the start of free agency earlier this month, the Chicago Bears brass has gone mostly silent. They've instead focused on retaining in-house free agents including quality backup linebacker John Timu and special teams ace Sherrick McManis. Not that there's anything wrong with that. They've already spent a ton of money and made some quality additions to their roster. They can feel free to be done with big moves until the draft. Still, it just feels like they might have one more bold move in loaded into the chamber. The secondary free agent market is typically where Pace loves to be active, finding possible hidden gems and depth pieces that could help the team in a number of ways. There are still plenty of notable names out there, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Safety Eric Reid was already mentioned in a previous article, but now a new name is surfacing. One that can get overlooked at times because his game isn't too flashy but could be hugely valuable if utilized in the Bears' particular system.

Chicago Bears brass are gearing up for a meeting with Jonathan Hankins

One of the lowkey losses the Bears suffered on defense this off-season was veteran defensive end Mitch Unrein. He was never a star but he was a steady, reliable presence who helped in their run defense. Now he's gone to another team, leaving uncertainty up front next to Eddie Goldman. It seems the Bears are aware of this and may have a replacement in mind.

Johnathan Hankins was a bit of a surprise release by the Indianapolis Colts. While his stat line wasn't stellar in 2017 he was one of their few reliable run defenders and also had two sacks on one of the worst pass rushing units in the league. Hankins is a free agent again and looking for a new home. According to a source the Bears are maneuvering to get him.

"Bears are meeting with Hankins next week."

Hankins wouldn't be a blockbuster signing but it would add a strong, 320 lbs behemoth to an already big front. If the Bears can improve their situation at inside linebacker as well, it might become near impossible to run on them effectively. This would be great news, as Vic Fangio could then make opposing offenses one-dimensional. Time will tell if another team manages to swipe him first.