Chicago Bears: 5 defensive free agents to stay away from

The Bears have some voids to fill if they are going to continue thriving as a top ten defense, but which free agents should they steer clear from?

The Chicago Bears have, like many other teams, begun their cap casualty releases. Already, the team had announced the likes of former Pro Bowlers Jerrell Freeman and Josh Sitton will not be retained.

Focusing on a gap to fill left on the defensive side of the ball with Freeman’s departure can bring up several options for Chicago. Ryan Pace could choose to promote within, going with a guy like Nick Kwiatkoski, or head in a different direction via free agency or the draft. There will be some hot names whom the Bears May choose to grab in this year’s prospect class, but free agency may also be the right way to go.

With March 14th rapidly approaching, teams are gearing up for a much anticipated free agency period. The Bears have  decent amount of cap space with roughly $52 million as it stands now, and that number will likely grow as cuts continue.

Like inside linebacker, Chicago has a few spots they need to shore up on their defense. Specifically, cornerback, outside linebacker and even some depth on the line would be ideal positions to fill.

While there are several solid players worth pursuing, there will also be some rumored names that the Bears must stay away from. Whether it be due to age, injury or unstable performance on the field, Pace has to do his homework on the following five guys and hopefully stay away from them.