The Chicago Bears came away with a pretty strong haul over the course of the 2023 NFL Draft. General manager Ryan Poles did his best job to start strong, going after big needs within the roster, while also taking the best players on his board.
Poles was able to add three starters, without a doubt. Offensive tackle Darnell Wright, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson should all come in and start right away as rookies.
Beyond those guys, the Bears added a lot of depth and some potential starters, depending on how the summer months shake out. But, one thing is for sure, and that’s that this Bears team got much better over the last few days.
Now that the draft is over, it’s time for Poles and the Bears to start filling out their roster during yet another wave of free agency. So, who should the Bears go after with the good chunk of money remaining? Let’s look at five in particular.
Free agents for the Chicago Bears to sign after 2023 NFL Draft: Dalton Risner, G
The Bears’ offensive line is effectively set, at least in terms of the starters, for now. Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright will man the tackles, while Nate Davis is a sure fire starter as one of the team’s top free agent signings.
But, Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick are curious cases. Is Patrick completely healthy? Are the Bears comfortable moving forward with Whitehair, or would they rather save $6 million by cutting the veteran who will turn 31 in July?
Dalton Risner is just 27 years old and a very solid guard in this league. He’s a phenomenal locker room guy and has a lot of football left in him. If the Bears were to sign Risner, they would keep one of Whitehair or Patrick to play center, and they’d be getting younger in the process.
Free agents for the Chicago Bears to sign after 2023 NFL Draft: DeAndre Houston-Carson, S
Next up is a familiar face in longtime Bear, safety DeAndre Houston-Carson. He has spent his entire 7-year career with the Bears, and the 30-year-old veteran has done everything asked of him during that time span.
Houston-Carson is a highly-valuable special teams player, having played over 60 percent of special teams snaps dating all the way back to the 2018 season. He’s a seasoned pro who is versatile, being able to play either safety spot in a pinch, if needed. By all accounts, Houston-Carson is also another guy you’d like to have in that locker room, and that speaks volumes to Poles and Matt Eberflus.
The Bears’ safety depth, as it stands, includes starters Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker, while Elijah Hicks, A.J. Thomas, Adrian Colbert and rookie Kendall Williamson round out the rest of the depth chart. There isn’t a ton of depth behind the starters, but having someone as experienced as Houston-Carson would make that room a whole lot better.
There is something to be said about a guy like this, who does his job and has done it well. He’s known his role and played it at a high level, whenever called upon.
Free agents for the Chicago Bears to sign after 2023 NFL Draft: Shaquill Griffin, CB
The Bears’ cornerback room looks a lot better after the draft but they could still use another veteran presence. The starting outside corners should be veteran Jaylon Johnson and rookie Tyrique Stevenson, without a doubt. That will then allow last year’s rookie Kyler Gordon to stay in the slot, manning that area where he proved to be very comfortable in 2022.
The first man up off the bench is Kindle Vildor, who stepped up last season and improved greatly. Once thought of as a liability, Vildor played much better than anyone anticipated and becomes a valuable backup.
Chicago drafted two more rookies in Minnesota’s Terrell Smith and the previously-mentioned Williamson, who might profile better at safety.
Other than Vildor, though, the next veteran up is Jaylon Jones, who had his fair share of brutal games a year ago. That’s why Shaquill Griffin makes sense. At just 27 years old, Griffin has a few good years left in him.
Last year was hampered by injury, but Griffin should be good to go as he was cleared in early March. In 2021, he was targeted 66 times and gave up three touchdowns. He’s more of a bend-don’t-break type, but as a backup, Griffin is worth bringing in.
Free agents for the Chicago Bears to sign after 2023 NFL Draft: Poona Ford, DL
This is where we get to the heavy hitters. The Bears were unable to address defensive end in the draft, simply because the players they wanted didn’t fall to them. But, fortunately, there are some excellent free agents still out there.
27-year-old Poona Ford was someone we talked about here as a target for the Bears, only speaking about an early-on type of signing. Somehow, he’s still without a job and Chicago should be on the phone with his people right now. He would be a phenomenal pickup at this stage, and would likely come in and start right away.
Ford is someone the Bears can trust getting after the passer, and also importantly, trust when it comes to his health. He’s been a model of consistency in terms of his availability over the last three seasons in Seattle.
While Ford might be a guy they can use at either defensive end or tackle, he seems versatile enough to become an asset right away.
Free agents for the Chicago Bears to sign after 2023 NFL Draft: Yannick Ngakoue, DE
Above anyone else, the Bears should pursue veteran pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue. You are looking at a guy who has yet to finish a professional season with less than 8.0 sacks. He has been as consistent as you would want out of a pass rusher.
The 28-year-old has totaled double-digit sacks twice in his career, while amassing at least 15 quarterback hits in five seasons.
Since pressures have been a tracked stat back in 2018 by Pro Football Reference, Ngakoue has also tallied a minimum of 26 pressures in every season, twice going over 30.
If the Bears want to add a sure fire starter at this position, he is the guy who makes the most sense. There are others out there, but a couple of older free agents who might want to be on a winning team at this point in their career, and don’t necessarily fit the Bears’ timeline.
Ngakoue would be well-worth a deal along the lines of two or three years with some extra incentives. Poles should be pursuing him as we speak, if he wants to shore up the team’s biggest need following the draft.