Chicago Bears: 3 early 2022 free agent targets to think about

Going into the 2021 offseason, the Chicago Bears had to be shrewd. General Manager Ryan Pace was tasked with utilizing the Bears’ minimal cap space to address a plethora of needs and retool a team that has stagnated over the past two seasons since winning the division crown in 2018.

The Chicago Bears are going to have some decisions to make in 2022.

Among the needs were quarterback, re-signing Allen Robinson, and acquiring depth in the secondary. Pace did a good job of drafting well and playing the market to bring in cost-effective players with strong upside (Ex: Desmond Trufant) on short-term deals to fill the holes on the roster created by players leaving in free agency.

However, the Bears face a looming challenge next spring following this upcoming season. Currently, eight of their projected 22 starters are playing for a new contract in 2022 either from the Bears or elsewhere. Solid veterans such as Tashaun Gipson, stars like Akiem Hicks and Allen Robinson, and emerging stars like Bilal Nichols and James Daniels could all be in another uniform this time next year, leaving the Bears vulnerable at many key positions

Luckily, the Bears have an estimated 50 million dollars in cap space in 2022 to re-sign their players and go after others in free agency. They won’t be interested in bringing everyone back as they will seek to get younger, especially on defense. Additionally, some money will likely go towards long-term extensions for Roquan Smith and David Montgomery who enter contract years in 2022-23.

Fortunately, the 2022 free agency class is loaded with talent and here I take a look at three players who would be excellent targets in free agency for the Bears as they try to assemble a championship roster around Justin Fields.