The Chicago Bears' defense has undergone some changes since free agency began almost two weeks ago.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles bolstered his team's defense by signing defensive linemen Neville Gallimore, James Lynch, and Kentavius Street. They also brought back linebacker Jack Sanborn, signed Devin Bush, and addressed their needs in the secondary with Coby Bryant, Cam Lewis, and Elijah Hicks.
Now, it's time to get through the finish line by adding a difference-making pass rusher. Chicago's front seven failed to put much pressure on the quarterback last season, averaging just 2.1 sacks per game, which was "good" for 21st in the league.
They were tied to Maxx Crosby before his trade fiasco, and now that he's likely off the table, Poles will have to pivot. That's why, given Cameron Jordan's ties to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, he looks like the most logical option to bolster their pass rush.
Bears Make Too Much Sense for Cameron Jordan
Jordan recently admitted that, as much as he'd love to be a New Orleans Saint forever, the business side of football might lead him elsewhere. He's not going anywhere at 36 years young, and the Bears need a proven headhunter like him.
Allen spent nine years with the Saints. Now, as the Bears' defensive coordinator, he might be able to convince Jordan to join him again, this time in the Windy City.
The veteran EDGE is more than familiar with his defensive system, and he had his best years under Allen's tutelage. From 2015 to 2021, Jordan never had a Pro Football Focus grade below 82.0, and he totaled 92.5 sacks, 320 solo tackles, 129 tackles for loss, and 183 QB hits in his nine years with Allen calling the shots, per Football Reference.
According to Spotrac, Jordan's next contract will be in the one-year, $6.8 million range. Meanwhile, OverTheCap lists the Bears with just $243K in available cap space, but that number will go up after June 1, and there are always ways to move around the cap to make some additions.
The Risk Would Be Worth the Reward
Of course, signing an aging player like Jordan comes with some risks. Conversely, he hasn't missed a single game in the past three years. More than that, even though he only played 54% of defensive snaps last season, he still finished the campaign with a whopping 10.5 sacks.
For comparison, Montez Sweat was the only Bear with double-digit sacks (10.0) last season, while everyone else had six or fewer.
Jodan's 76.0 PFF grade ranked 24th among 115 eligible edge rushes. He had an 82.1 run defense grade, the fourth-highest, and that should come in handy for a Bears team that gave up 134.5 rushing yards per game last season, the fifth-most in the league.
Even though he won't be a long-term answer to this team's woes, Jordan clearly still has plenty left in the tank, can be a suitable mentor for whoever the Bears get in the NFL draft, and would be a seamless plug-and-play addition, given his familiarity with Allen's system.
Adding a reputable EDGE at a discount is too enticing to pass up, making a potential signing something the Bears must work on.