Should the Chicago Bears make a run at Justin Houston?

Pass rusher Justin Houston just became available, but should the Chicago Bears make a run at him?

Last season, the Chicago Bears had arguably the best defense in the National Football League. One way to remove all doubt, and make them not just the best defense of 2019 but potentially an all-time defense, is to go after Justin Houston, who is expected to be released soon.

The four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker and former All-Pro is 30-years-old, but still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Last season, on a below average Kansas City Chiefs defense, he finished with nine sacks and five forced fumbles in only 12 games. Without question, Houston knows how to get pressure on the quarterback.

The thought of lining him up opposite of All-Pro Khalil Mack has Bears fans salivating. The pair, along with Leonard Floyd who came on strong last season, would likely form the best pass-rushing trio of any team in the league. Opposing quarterbacks would constantly be under pressure, and Chuck Pagano would have all the pieces he would need to “wreak havoc.”

So the answer to the question of whether the Bears should make a play to sign the soon-to-be free agent should seem clear, right? Well, not so fast. For starters, Houston will likely command a hefty salary, as pass rushers are highly coveted. To make matters worse, the free agent market is thin as teams are re-signing or slapping the franchise tag on their own pass rushers.

Houston is expected to make just over $15 million in base salary next season while counting just over $21 million against the cap. In 2020, those numbers go to $17 million and $19 million respectively. In other words, he ain’t going to come cheap if, and when, he’s released by the Chiefs.

If the Bears decide to sign him, assuming he would take slightly less to play in Chicago, it would still mean the team would have no chance of signing wither Bryce Callahan or Adrian Amos. In addition, while he would add another dominant pass rusher, it would come at a steep cost.

Essentially, the Bears would be creating two holes at cornerback and safety while adding a player at a position of strength, all while hamstringing their financial situation to fill those aforementioned holes.

So while Houston would be fun in Chicago and it’s great to talk about the possibility, the reality of it happening are likely pretty slim.