Chicago Bears Confirmed To Be Pursuing Veteran Star

Ryan Poles once again stated the Chicago Bears remain active on the pass rusher front. However, nothing has come together yet. The GM noted that it takes two sides to get a deal done. They will remain patient and hope something comes together soon. Until then, they're content to ride with what they have for the time being. What isn't certain is who they might be targeting. Some prominent names are out there, but none have been directly connected to the team until now.

Peggy Kusinski of ESPN Chicago revealed through a source that the Bears were showing significant interest in veteran former Pro Bowler Justin Houston. This isn't a huge surprise. Poles was with the Kansas City Chiefs when they drafted him years ago. Head coach Matt Eberflus also worked with him for two years in 2019 and 2020 with the Indianapolis Colts. The connections are there. Kusinski hears that the primary obstacle is the obvious one: money. Houston wants a certain amount. Thus far, the Bears haven't been willing to pay it.

The Chicago Bears are right to pursue Houston.

While he's in his 30s now, no evidence suggests he is undergoing a steep decline. He had 9.5 sacks last season for the Baltimore Ravens. They paid him $3.5 million for that year. After such a strong showing, he is likely hoping for a bump in pay wherever he lands next. Leonard Floyd signed for $7 million with Buffalo. Frank Clark got $5.51 million. Houston likely wants something in that range since he had more sacks than both of those guys in 2022. Though logical, it's obvious Poles isn't willing to meet that demand.

The Chicago Bears GM is known for refusing to pay for older players. Houston turns 34 this year. Most pass rushers lose steam right around this time. Even the greatest haven't made it beyond 37 without a drop-off. So Poles feels the need to be cautious. Still, Houston is worth the effort. He can provide the Bears defense with the necessary juice off the edge, even if it's only for one season. That is before getting into the veteran leadership he offers. Time will tell if they can close the gap.