Chicago Bears: 5 logical defensive free agents still available

Logical defensive free agents for the Chicago Bears: DT Kawann Short

Long time Carolina Panther Kawann Short finally saw his tenure end this offseason. Having spent his entire career with the Panthers, Short is now looking for a new team for the first time.

Short is a two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who has been one of the top interior rushers over his career. At one point, the Panthers even gave him the franchise tag because they couldn’t afford to lose him a few years ago.

One intriguing aspect of potentially signing Short would be that he offers the Bears something Eddie Goldman does not. The two of them have different strengths, which would give the Bears a real, solid one-two punch on the interior. Goldman is more of a run-stuffing defensive lineman — and he’s one of the best in the game.

Short, meanwhile, is an interior pass rusher. He’s been phenomenal at establishing pressure from the inside over the years. Now 32 years old, he may not be in the best position to start all 16 games and give his next team the majority of snaps. But, if he was placed on the field as a situational type of guy, Sean Desai could have some fun with Short’s skill set.

The biggest red flag with Short is the fact that he’s appeared in just five games over the last two seasons. Health has been a major issue, so if he’s proven to be fully healthy, why not take a chance on him with a cheaper deal?