Chicago Bears: 5 dream targets in 2023 NFL free agency
By Ryan Heckman
Dream targets for the Chicago Bears in free agency: Poona Ford, DL
Like the offensive line, the Bears’ defensive line needs a major overhaul as well. They parted with both Justin Jones and Al-Quadin Muhammed after just one year for the both of them in Chicago. The interior line absolutely must be addressed, but the Bears could use depth everywhere up front.
Poona Ford is one of those more underrated defensive linemen on the market this year, and at 27 years old, he’s just now in his prime and coming off a down year in Seattle. However, the down year could also be attributed to the Seahawks switching to a 3-4.
Ford is much more comfortable as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme, which is what Chicago obviously runs. Both 2021 and 2020 were stellar years for Ford, where he especially excelled against the run.
Last season, the Bears were one of the league’s worst against defending the run. Adding a player like Ford would change that right away. Assuming the Bears could add another name via free agency or the draft, the interior would look much better than it did a year ago.