In the immediate aftermath of the Bears' overtime loss in the NFC Divisional Round, much of the focus was on DJ Moore not being in the right place when Caleb Williams threw his final pass. It directly led to the field goal that sent the Los Angeles Rams to the NFC Championship Game and the Bears home.
But as Bears fans focused on Moore's mistake and debated whether he even should be part of the team's future, Rams fans were heaping praise on Kamren Curl, the safety who made that fateful interception.
Now, Curl has hit free agency, and Bears fans suddenly find themselves wrestling with the question of whether the man who helped end their team's season now can help them go even further. It might sound like a dirty question, but if the Bears want to end their Super Bowl drought, they need to consider every possibility when replacing free agents Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker at safety.
Bears fans who remember their last Super Bowl appearance might recall a similar irony in team history. Kelvin Hayden had the pick-six on Rex Grossman that put the game out of reach. Hayden later finished his career by playing with the Bears for one season.
History aside, Curl might be just what the Bears need. He's coming off a career-high 122 tackles, more than anyone on the 2025 Bears, who were led by Tremaine Edwards with 112. Further emphasizing how important he would be is that tackles total was second to Nathan Landman's 122 for the 2025 Rams.
If nothing else, Curl would provide a reliable body at safety for the Bears. He has been quite durable over his six NFL seasons, and he is in his prime as he'll be 27 during the 2026 campaign. Both of those characteristics will have teams lining up out the door for him, and the hope is that the Bears will be at or near the top of his list.
Curl also would come from the Rams' winning culture, which has been around for years. There's no telling he might help replicate that culture under Ben Johnson, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.
The Bears need help in the secondary, and Curl is the perfect player to provide it. Now, the question is whether there is mutual interest, or at least interest from the Bears' side.