Chicago Bears Free Agency Will Go In One Of Two Directions

The Chicago Bears have around $50 million left in cap space after their trades for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney over the past week. While that doesn't preclude them from staying aggressive, it likely will limit them to taking only one big swing in free agency next week rather than multiple. GM Ryan Poles has said he always wants to be selective in free agency. That translates to never going on a full-blown spending spree. He'll pinpoint a position he wants to address, do so early, and then sit back and wait for the markets to fall.

There is no reason to think that changes now. The only question is which direction the Bears choose to go. Obviously, the market will dictate that, but it is fair to assume there are two likely outcomes.

#1 - Center-focused

Head coach Ben Johnson said having a reliable center is crucial to developing a young quarterback. Most took that as a signal that he'd like to find somebody credible. Drew Dalman from Atlanta is the hot name and has been connected to the Bears multiple times in recent days. Were that to happen, the entire interior offensive line would have been replaced. It wouldn't entirely kill the chances of Chicago taking more blockers in the draft, but the odds of them going with one at the 10th pick or even the 2nd round go down. This almost certainly means they will shift toward either landing the best defensive lineman possible or a standout playmaker like running back Ashton Jeanty.

#2 - Edge rusher-focused

Finding a #2 rusher opposite Montez Sweat has been an issue for the Bears going back over a year. They can't get their pass rusher revved up until this problem is solved. Landing a proven veteran in free agency would be the quickest solution. Josh Sweat and Harold Landry are some of the most intriguing names. Such an outcome would likely mean the Bears plan to stay active on the offensive line in the draft. They could maybe go for a left tackle in the 1st round or seek out that long-term center solution in the 2nd. It would, however, decrease the odds of taking someone like Jeanty.

The Chicago Bears will take their swing early.

Poles isn't prone to waiting things out. When he has a target in mind, he historically acts fast. In 2022, he swung a deal with defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi on March 14th. Free agency started on March 16th of that year, meaning it happened at the very start of the legal tampering period. Yes, the deal didn't go through because of a failed physical, but the swiftness of the move stood out. Last year, the Chicago Bears agreed to a deal with running back D'Andre Swift on March 11th, two days before the official start date.

The new league year of 2025 opens on March 15th, meaning the legal tampering window is March 13th. Don't be surprised if the Bears secure their preferred guy quickly that day. Who they land will drastically impact what they do in the draft next month.