These Free Agents Can Help the Bears Replace Prince Amukamara

The Chicago Bears had some tough decisions to make regarding their salary cap going into this offseason. Without much money to spend and a lot of holes to fill, it felt like some sacrifices would have to be made. One of them proved to be veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara. After a solid three-year run in which he helped the defense finish in the top 10 all three seasons, he was released in order to secure $9 million in cap space.

However, a good chunk of that money might just go right back into the cornerback position. The Bears don't have a lot of proven depth at the position with Kevin Toliver, Duke Shelley, and new addition Tre Roberson being their only options. It stands to reason they might add a veteran body to the mix. Somebody who can keep the coverage strong in the secondary.

Who are some options they could look at? Here are a few names that could make sense.

Bears could do the same thing they did with Prince Amukamara

Daryl Worley

The 3-4 defense tends to demand a lot from the outside corners. It's a position that requires an ability to play man-to-man coverage, which can be quite physical. That is why size takes a front seat for teams that run it. Daryl Worley has that at 6'1. He's big and long with solid athleticism to handle himself on the perimeter. While not a ballhawk, he held his own pretty well for the Raiders last season, allowing just 53% of passes thrown in his direction to be completed.

Bradley Roby

The former 1st round pick played a nice part on the great 2015 Broncos defense that won a Super Bowl. He proved himself there to be an ideal CB2. He struggled with an injury setback last season but still returned to have a good year, notching two interceptions. Quarterbacks had just a 79.9 passer rating when throwing in his direction. He's spent his entire career in a 3-4 defense, so it wouldn't be much of an adjustment for him.

Bashaud Breeland

He might be one of the more underappreciated cornerbacks in the NFL. No team really gave him a chance to be their long-term starter despite evidence he could play. Not until he landed with the Kansas City Chiefs did people realize their mistake. He came up huge in 2019, collecting two interceptions and allowing just 48% of passes thrown at him to be completed. He's athletic with good size and can handle man coverage.

Ross Cockrell

A journeyman throughout his NFL career, Cockrell has struggled to get noticed as a potential starting cornerback. He had a good year for the Giants in 2017 with three interceptions. Then he signed a two-year deal in Carolina but broke his leg in 2018. Finally last year he returned and played well. He finished with two interceptions and a 68.6 passer rating when targeted. While not a star, he has the ability to be a solid role player.