Watching NFL players spend their entire careers with one franchise is rare, and even more so these days. That seemed to be the case with New Orleans Saints legend Cameron Jordan, but now that they will allow him to test free agency, he'll likely have to finish his career elsewhere.
Multiple teams should be interested in his services, even at this point in his career. That said, there's a clear connection to the Chicago Bears. He played for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for years, and both parties would be wise to pursue a reunion.
Cameron Jordan Makes Perfect Sense for the Bears
The Bears' front seven left plenty to be desired last season. They failed to put pressure at the line of scrimmage, finishing tied for the fifth-fewest sacks in the entire league (35). Adding the Saints' all-time sacks leader should certainly help with that, even if his prime years are far behind him.
Jordan wants to keep playing, and getting back together with Allen should be a no-brainer move. The Bears are an up-and-coming team with Super Bowl aspirations. They need a pass rusher, and he's already familiar with the defensive system. He may not be a long-term solution at 36 years old, but he can be a solid stopgap and a mentor for whoever they select in the NFL draft.
More than that, his connection with Allen might also motivate him to take a team-friendly deal, which isn't something that could happen elsewhere. According to Over The Cap, the Bears only have $81.1 million in available cap space. That number will obviously go up with other roster moves, but they can still use a veteran at a discount, especially with Kevin Byard III's market potentially heating up.
Jordan only played 589 snaps last season, which is obviously a bit of a concern. That said, he still managed to get 31 solo tackles, 33 run stops, 36 total pressures, 21 hurries, 10.5 sacks, and five quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus gave him an 82.1 run defense grade, the fourth-highest among 115 eligible edge rushers.
The Bears are on the verge of doing something special; they need the right pieces on defense to prove that last year's success wasn't a fluke. And with Dennis Allen not likely to survive another year of average defensive play, it's also in his best interests to get his former player on the phone and onto the Windy City.