4 Indianapolis Colts players the Chicago Bears should pursue this offseason
By Todd Welter
The Chicago Bears could sign these two free-agent Colts linebackers in the offseason.
Bobby Okereke and E.J. Speed are set to be free agents after this season. They both fit young, ascending players that Poles likes to pursue in free agency. Okereke will be 27 next season and Speed will be 28.
The Chicago Bears definitely could use an upgrade at linebacker, especially after trading Roquan Smith.
Speed has just five career starts and has been battling an ankle injury. He has 32 tackles on the season backing up Okerke at weak-side linebacker. Speed registered 31 tackles last season for Eberflus. Speed is slimmer than Smith at the WIL linebacker but he is longer. He could be had on a cheaper deal much like what Poles signed Nicholas Morrow last offseason.
Okereke is the better player of the two. He has 77 tackles on the season after he registered 132 last year. He can play both middle and weak-side linebacker but he only has three career forced fumbles, two sacks, and one interception.
He would come relatively affordable and be an immediate upgrade. Plus, his signing is very feasible considering the money the Colts already have locked up on the defensive side of the ball.
It’s gonna be a tough numbers game to keep Bobby Okereke. Indy will already be paying Franklin/Leonard 23 million combined (plus an EJ Speed contract). Hard to throw another 12-16 per year deal on top of that https://t.co/T5Bug04wOV
— Zach Hicks (@ZachHicks2) November 4, 2022
The Chicago Bears could sign wide receiver Parris Campbell to help continue upgrading that position.
Justin Fields and Parris Campbell never crossed paths at Ohio State. That does not mean Fields could use Campbell. The wide receiver free agent class is weak this year but the Bears could get some value out of Campbell.
Campbell will be 26 next season. He has 32 catches for 297 yards and two touchdowns. Between Week Six and Eight, he had 19 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
Third straight week Parris Campbell is having himself a day.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 30, 2022
He does only have a 67.3 career catch percentage and four career scores. That is still better numbers than St. Brown or Dante Pettis.
It looks like Campbell is starting to scratch the surface of his potential.
Without Hines, more is on Parris Campbell's plate, especially in gadget packages.
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) November 6, 2022
Sam Ehlinger: "I’m excited for him. I think he’s just scratching the surface. He’s just breaking through in what he can be, what he will be, and his confidence is growing on a week-to-week basis."
Who knows how much Eberflus interacted with Campbell but their time in Indianapolis did overlap. The Colts might be struggling on the field but they have four players that interacted with Eberflus that could help the Chicago Bears next season.
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