The Chicago Bears haven't found much success under head coach Matt Eberflus. They have gone 10-24 over the past two seasons, failing to reach the postseason in each year. The pressure is building on Eberflus, so this is an important offseason for the Windy City.
The Bears are loaded with cap space and own six draft picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, all coming in the first five rounds. Chicago currently has $70 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. Look for them to be aggressive throughout the offseason, as general manager Ryan Poles will have his hands full.
1. Add Another Force to Bolster the Defensive Line
The Chicago Bears made a meaningful addition at last year's trade deadline when they acquired defensive end Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders. Sweat immediately became the team's best edge rusher, leading the team in sacks (6) with 25 total tackles in nine games.
Chicago struggled outside of Sweat to consistently generate pressure. They finished the season ranked 31st in team sacks (30). To be a good team in the NFL, you need to get after the quarterback. Look for Chicago to attack this need in free agency.
There are two options that the Bears should look at. The first one is Chris Jones. Who knows if Kansas City will let him walk, but if they do, Chicago should pounce. Jones is an absolute game wrecker along the interior.
The five-time Pro Bowl selection wins with power and quickness, consistently getting into the backfield. He's recorded 75.5 sacks and 12 forced fumbles in his career. He could dramatically improve Chicago's front seven.
Another intriguing option is Chase Young. Young and Sweat played together with the Commanders from 2020-2023. Young is a speedy pass-rusher off the edge. The Ohio State product has the moves to get past offensive linemen. In 2023, Young finished with 7.5 sacks between the Commanders and the San Francisco 49ers.
2. Find A Way to Make Some Meaningful Additions to the WR Room
It's not a surprise that the Bears need to add some more playmakers to the passing game. They finished the year 27th in passing offense (182.1) with 19 receiving scores. Receiver D.J. Moore came to town in 2023 and made his presence felt. Moore was sixth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,364) with eight scores.
Besides Moore, the Bears virtually got no help from any other wide receiver. Darnell Mooney logged 31 receptions for 414 yards and one score, which were all second among receivers on the Bears. Defenses could easily double-team Moore and put a top defensive back on tight end Cole Kmet to wipe out the passing attack.
The Bears are sitting on a boatload of money and draft picks to add more reliable playmakers. Someone like Tyler Boyd or Curtis Samuel could do a ton for the Bears. Both guys are going to be unrestricted free agents in March.
They don't need to be the No. 1 option but could be a smooth No. 2 threat. Boyd runs crisp routes and has strong hands at the catch point.
Over eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, Boyd had 513 receptions for 6,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. Samuel would give them an athletic and quick pass-catcher.
The former Ohio State product could also take jet sweeps and give the Bears' offense another dimension. Last year, Samuel had 62 catches for 613 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
The Bears currently have the No. 9 overall pick and could add another solid difference-maker. Rome Odunze or Brian Thomas Jr. could be two intriguing options. Odunze uses a variety of releases to get off the line and has secure hands. In 2023, he snagged 92 receptions, 1,640 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns at the University of Washington.
Meanwhile, Thomas Jr. is a big, explosive pass-catcher. The LSU product glides downfield and has very fluid movements. Last year, he notched 68 catches for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns.
There are plenty of options available for the Bears to improve their receiving core this offseason.
3. Make The Decision on the Quarterback Position
The Bears have some serious questions to answer surrounding the quarterback position. Do they keep Justin Fields or ship him out and select a new signal caller with the No. 1 overall pick? Fields was selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 24-year-old has had an up-and-down start to his career in the Windy City. Fields seems to have trouble reading coverages and getting the ball out of his hand quickly. That forces him to hold onto the football and take unnecessary sacks and hits.
The former Ohio State standout does own a big-time arm with the athleticism to pick up easy yards with his legs. Over three seasons, Fields completed 60% of his throws for 6,674 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns, and 30 interceptions. Additionally, he's gained 2,220 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
The Bears have yet to decide if they want to pick up Fields' fifth-year option, which would be in the range of $25 million.
The Bears also own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and would have their choice of Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, the top two QBs, according to most draft experts.
The assumption is that if Chicago moves off of Fields, they will select Williams. The USC product is a natural thrower of the football with superb velocity on his passes. Williams can make throws on all three levels of the field and has a knack for extending plays with his legs when needed.
It would make sense for Chicago to trade Fields, recoup another draft pick, and reset the clock on a rookie QB contract.
If Williams and Fields were in the same draft class, Williams would be the prospect with a higher ranking across draft boards.
This is the most important decision of the offseason for Chicago and all other moves will follow suit.
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