6 Former Bears Chicago Should Sign for a Reunion in Free Agency

3. Charles Leno, OT

A former seventh-round pick back in 2014, Charles Leno Jr. was able to develop into a long-term starter in the NFL. He spent his first seven seasons in the league with the Bears and was a starter by his second campaign — starting 13 of 16 games that year. He went on to start 94 games while making 102 appearances during his time with the Bears. Leno was always a solid player and was even selected to the Pro Bowl in 2018.

The veteran tackle was released in 2021 after Chicago drafted Teven Jenkins and then signed with the Washington Football Team (later named the Commanders). After playing out his one-year deal, he landed a three-year, $37.5 million extension ahead of the 2022 campaign.

Leno started 47 games for Washington but was released with one year left on his contract after dealing with a calf injury.

The Bears had their tackles set with Braxton Jones on one side and Darnell Wright, the 10th overall pick last year, on the other. Jenkins, who led to the release of Leno, has moved inside to guard. What they don't have is a swing tackle they can lean on should anyone go down. Leno, who struggled in run blocking during the 2023 campaign, is still a decent pass protector and they could do much worse than him as their primary backup.