The Chicago Bears have more money to spend in 2023 free agency than anybody. GM Ryan Poles is equipped with the equivalent of a full arsenal. He can pursue any free agent he wishes and pay more than anybody can for them. That doesn't mean the Bears will be reckless with their funds. As always, the plan is to be disciplined. They'll be aggressive when the time calls for it, but Poles isn't going to establish his team's identity through the veteran market. He'll likely use it to fix two or three positions he feels can't be addressed properly in the draft.
Yet before such moves can be made, the Bears must wait out the franchise tag window. According to Adam Schefter, that process officially began on February 21st. That will continue for the next two weeks through March 7th. During that time, teams can designate one player on their roster with the franchise tag, ensuring they don't hit the open market for at least another year. This has a chance to pull several big names out of the pool of Bears targets.
The Chicago Bears will have to sweat this out.
Of the candidates Schefter listed, the one the Bears will keep a close eye on is Daron Payne. The big defensive tackle was dominant in 2022, posting 11.5 sacks. He represents that interior pass rush ability Chicago desperately needs for their defensive line. If the Washington Commanders tag him, it makes life harder for Poles to find a solution to that problem. Some other prominent names that could get a surprise tag include Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary, Broncos defensive tackle Dre'mont Jones, and wide receiver Jacobi Meyers.
The challenge of the franchise tag is teams figuring out whether they can fit the numbers onto their books. It isn't easy since several teams are against or over the salary cap. That is why the list of obvious candidates isn't overly big. Once the deadline passes on March 7th, the Chicago Bears will have a clear vision of who will be available and who they should prioritize once the tampering window opens two days before free agency on the 13th. Keep a close watch on the offensive and defensive tackle markets.
