Chicago Bears Said To Have Mutual Interest From Star Free Agent

Free agency won't be the primary reason the Chicago Bears take the final step into playoff contention. That said, GM Ryan Poles knows he has plenty of salary cap space. It would be irresponsible not to spend some of it to upgrade his roster. It is about where. Poles seems focused on trying to upgrade the offense in preparation for the arrival of a new quarterback. The Bears already traded for a possible center in Ryan Bates. Expectations are they will be active on the wide receiver market when things kick off next week.

That might not be the only skill position they target. Word has filtered out of Halas Hall that the team could make an unexpected splash in the running back theater. It has already been rumored they have interest in former Pro Bowler Saquan Barkley. He isn't the only one. Former rushing champion Josh Jacobs will also be available, and he has fans in the building as well. What might surprise people is that the interest is mutual. Former Bears fullback Jason McKie revealed this to Pat the Designer on the Chicago Bears podcast.

The Chicago Bears would benefit from Jacobs' presence.

With all due respect to Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, neither can do what he can. He is a total package player. Not only can he take games over with his rushing ability, but he is also an understated threat in the passing game. If you give him an inch, he'll take a mile. Projections indicate Jacobs will command around $11 million per year. While a lot of money for a running back, it isn't anywhere close to the top of the market. Chicago has over $56 million in cap space. It wouldn't be difficult for them to afford it.

It seems the Chicago Bears recognize their running game is about to change. Justin Fields was a big part of its success over the past two years. Caleb Williams or whoever replaces him won't be the same type of threat on the ground. Knowing this, it makes sense for Poles to bring more firepower to the backfield. Jacobs is a true workhorse who can handle 20-25 carries per game if necessary. Adding him would allow Herbert to assume the #2 role, which he's always been best suited for.

Much of this hinges on how strong Jacobs' market is. Don't expect the Bears to overpay.