Chicago Bears: 5 in-season free agents to sign
By Usayd Koshul
3. OLB Malcolm Smith
Edge rusher is one position on the Bears roster that is in good shape due to the presence of Khalil Mack, Leonard Floyd, and Aaron Lynch. However, Floyd has shown that if an opposing offense takes Mack out of the game, he’s unable to step up and make plays.
This is where Malcolm Smith comes into the equation. Smith, who’s played for the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers comes into the equation. When he was a starter for the Oakland Raiders from 2017 until 2018, Smith had 226 total tackles proving that when given a chance to be on the field he can make some plays.
While Smith is in no means an upgrade from Aaron Lynch, Smith can at least be an upgrade over someone like Isaiah Irving, who’s behind Floyd, Mack, and Lynch on the Bears depth chart. The goal behind signing Smith will essentially be to give the defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano another player that can be effective depending on the situation the Bears are in.
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A contract for Smith will likely be a one-year deal that has no guaranteed money and but could be full of certain incentives that will allow for Smith to earn a little bit of extra money. Smith would be a smart free agent add this late in the season because he provides some insurance should someone like Aaron Lynch go down with an injury.