The Chicago Bears have a lot of cap space going into this off-season. While GM Ryan Poles has tried to avoid reckless spending, most expect the team to at least make some notable moves, especially with a new coaching staff in place. Head coach Ben Johnson will have a prominent voice in the process, just like Matt Eberflus did. The only question is figuring out who he might urge the Bears to pursue. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune mentioned one name on 670 The Score worth watching.
There are tons of buzz about the idea of Chicago trading for Cooper Kupp, who requested out of L.A. recently. With Keenan Allen likely to leave in free agency, it makes some sense. However, Biggs dismissed that as a non-starter. The name people should watch next month is Tim Patrick. Johnson worked with the wide receiver this past season, notching 394 yards and three touchdowns on just 44 targets.
Ben Johnson having interest in Patrick is no surprise.
The receiver has plenty of admirers across the league. It looked like he was about to have a career breakout after back-to-back seasons eclipsing 700 yards in Denver despite quarterback problems. Tragically, his career entered a crisis when he tore his ACL in 2022 and then his Achilles in 2023. Many worried if he would ever come back at all. Incredibly, he stayed healthy this year and produced well despite limited opportunities. His mixture of size (6'4), long speed, and good physicality make him an asset in multiple ways. He was Detroit's best run blocker on the perimeter.
Ben Johnson will undoubtedly run the passing game through three guys: D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet. What they need is a wide receiver who can stretch the field and give them blocking capability to help the ground attack. Patrick does both. He won't cost much to sign, which would suit Poles fine. The only question is whether he'd prefer to stay in Detroit. It will be an interesting subplot to watch as free agency draws near a few weeks from now.
