Chicago Bears: Free agency dominoes which could cause mayhem

3. The guard market

Guard is already becoming a challenging position for needy teams. Over the last few days, we have learned that the Washington Redskins will use the franchise tag on Brandon Scherff — which is a huge blow to Bears fans’ wishes.

Just a couple of days ago, the Carolina Panthers began shopping Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner. He would have been a fantastic trade target for the Bears, but the very next day he was shipped off to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for tackle Russell Okung.

So, what now? The best available guard, at this point, is Joe Thuney. The New England Patriots guard would be a dream for the Bears — but they will have competition.

From there, I would maybe pivot to New Orleans Saints guard Andrus Peat. In terms of looking for a solidified starter, those two would be at the top of my wish list. If neither Thuney or Peat turn out to be a Bear, the rest of the free agency crop is mediocre for the most part.

There are several other guards, but a lot of them have injury histories, have bounced around a lot or are career backups. Chicago needs a guaranteed, surefire starter. Running the ball is an enormous priority. Should the Bears miss out on Thuney or Peat, I would move towards the draft at that position.