Mike Evans To Chicago? Bears Predicted To Make A Run At Star WR

The off-season is already underway for the Chicago Bears. GM Ryan Poles has made his first of what figure to be several big decisions in a critical next few months. Matt Eberflus is back as head coach. Luke Getsy is out as offensive coordinator. Finding his replacement is up next. Then everybody figures to shift the discussion to the quarterback issue. Will the Bears keep Justin Fields, or will they pounce on a top QB prospect in the draft? That makes it easy for people to think only about what happens in April. They forget free agency takes place a month prior, and the Bears will have over $60 million in cap space. Enter Mike Evans.

While nobody believes Poles will spend every dime available to add top-name veterans, it is likely he will take one calculated swing at a position of need. Aaron Schatz of ESPN believes it will be for the future Hall of Fame wide receiver.

"The Bears will use the No. 1 pick on a new quarterback and invest in that quarterback by signing Mike Evans, one of the top free agent wide receivers. Evans has 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons and would pair nicely with DJ Moore in this offense."

There is logic to the idea. Evans is still a beast. He's 31 years old next season. A pairing of him and Moore would be fantastic. It would give Poles the excuse to avoid drafting a wide receiver with either of his top-10 picks, focusing on other positions like quarterback, pass rusher, and maybe offensive tackle.

This Mike Evans idea points to the Bears' likely strategy.

They won't use free agency to fix their roster problems. Instead, Poles may use it to fortify one position he may not want to address early in the draft. Remember, the Bears' general manager wants to target "premium" positions with high draft choices. Wide receiver is important, but it's also one of the easier positions to find help later in a draft. The same can't be said for quarterbacks, pass rushers, or tackles. How would Caleb Williams look throwing to Moore and Evans with Joe Alt or Olu Fashanu guarding his blind side?

The obvious uncertainty is what Mike Evans plans to do. He may wish to stay in Tampa Bay, but their decisions on a contract extension remain a mystery. Given his age, he likely wishes to find the best payday possible since he no longer feels the need to ring chase. Chicago has the cap space to meet his likely price tag. It isn't a terrible idea, provided the contract is kept to a reasonable length. Probably two or three years. The Bears would be a great spot to compete in 2024.