Chicago Bears: 5 free agents to pursue from Wildcard losers

Free agents for the Chicago Bears to pursue from Wildcard losers: Jamel Dean, CB

The cornerback position is an intriguing one for the Chicago Bears. Last year, they drafted Kyler Gordon in the second round and many thought he would line up outside along with Jaylon Johnson. However, as the season went on, Gordon played much more from the slot and that was for the better.

Now, the Bears enter an offseason where fans wonder if Kindle Vildor really is the answer at the CB2 next to Johnson. Vildor improved in 2022, but banking on him going forward isn’t necessarily the best option.

Bringing in former third-round pick Jamel Dean by way of Tampa Bay would give Vildor some much-needed competition and the Bears could even experiment with Dean in the slot, should Gordon feel more comfortable outside in his second year.

In four seasons with the Bucs, Dean has been a full-time starter in two of them. He’s tallied 41 pass breakups and seven interceptions since entering the NFL and is still just 26 years old. Dean wouldn’t be an expensive signing, by any means, as he’s been a fairly average-to-good corner throughout his career.