Chicago Bears free agency: Top players to target

Alex Mack, Center

Mack has had a lot of quarterbacks put their hands under him in his seven seasons in Cleveland. He has also seen a great deal of turmoil swirl there as well.

It may seem that Mack has had his share of craziness, and that was part of the reason he voided the final three seasons of his contract and become a free agent.

Yes, Jay Cutler is a lightning rod for Chicago Bears fans, but HE is the quarterback, and will be there for the foreseeable future. The only time he won’t be there will be when he gets injured.

Hroniss Grasu is still raw and not fully ready to take over as captain of the offensive line. He can learn under one of the best in the business in Mack, who has been in the Pro Bowl three times, including two of the last three seasons (he was injured in 2014 so he did not make it).

Mack is the type of player who will have Cutler’s respect right at the moment he walks into Halas Hall. He is a proven commodity and can ease Cutler’s protection concerns. With Mack on the line, things could settle for the Bears. Matt Slauson will stay and play a stellar left guard (and not have to play center, where he is not as used to), and Grasu can move to right guard while he learns from Mack.

Mack would be a good pickup and he would settle the Bears’ offensive line. Doing that would give not just Cutler some confidence, but also Jeremy Langford and Ka”Deem Carey, running backs who are trying to fill some big shoes with the departure of Matt Forte.

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