Chicago Bears Rumors: 3 free agents garnering a lot of buzz

Chicago Bears free agent targets garnering some buzz: Bobby Okereke, LB

Lastly, we come to 26-year-old linebacker Bobby Okereke. The linebacker market is absolutely loaded this offseason, which could be part of the reason why the Bears were fine trading Roquan Smith last year.

Okereke comes from Indianapolis, where he has a real connection with his former defensive coordinator in Matt Eberflus. The rumors floating around have stated that Okereke has a great relationship with Eberflus and “glows” about his coaching style.

Also an underrated free agent on this year’s market, Okereke racked up a whopping 151 combined tackles in 2022. Yet, he’s not being talked about as one of the premier names available. His age and productivity cannot be undermined. He’s the real deal, and he would be an excellent addition to this defense.

As a guy who can make all the calls or even play on the outside if asked, Okereke is versatile. He is best when playing the inside, though, and can act as the true leader of his defense. He’s a stout run defender, too, which is something the Bears desperately need help with. Adding Okereke, along with either of these other two names, would count as a major victory for Poles.