With several key players leaving during the offseason, the Chicago Bears have had to do some serious work in free agency to plug the holes left on the depth chart. Even with those efforts thus far, more can still be done to address the defensive side of the ball, and a prime opportunity to do so could be presenting itself as the calendar turns to April.
That's why GM Ryan Poles can't afford to look the other way on Shaq Thompson's situation. The veteran linebacker is still a free agent, and with the Buffalo Bills not looking too eager to bring him back, the Bears may want to get him to the Windy City.
Thompson even admitted on his X account that he was trying to get a deal done to return to Buffalo, and the lack of movement there gives the Bears an opening to swoop right in and add him to Dennis Allen's defense.
Shaq Thompson Makes Perfect Sense for the Bears
Thompson missed five games with hamstring and neck injuries last season, which might be the only reason why he's still unsigned. Even so, he played quite well in the 12 appearances (six starts) he made for Sean McDermott's team during the 2025 campaign.
Despite the limited playing time, Thompson still finished the season with 56 total tackles (33 solo), including six tackles for loss, two QB hits, one sack, two forced fumbles, and one pass defensed. Pro Football Focus gave him a respectable 65.2 grade, which ranked 35th among 88 eligible linebackers. He excelled in coverage, logging a 70.2 grade, the 14th-best at the position, even though he only played 207 coverage snaps.
The Bears lost Tremaine Edmunds as a salary-cap casualty, and they could certainly use some help at the position, even if it's just for depth. Former Cleveland Browns star Devin Bush should provide a much-needed punch and some high-volume tackling. The rest of the unit is rather underwhelming, though, with T.J. Edwards and D'Marco Jackson as the other projected starters.
Of course, health will always be a concern with Thompson, who suited up for just two and four games in his final two seasons in Carolina. That said, Spotrac projects his next contract to be for one year and $2.4 million.
While the Bears shouldn't put all their hopes in having him play a full season or being a long-term answer at the position, he could be a cheap pickup who's going to provide some mistake-free football and be a high-end backup at worst. Beggars can't be choosers, and after giving up the fifth-most total yards per game (361.8), this defense needs to make some major tweaks.