The Chicago Bears are in the market for some new players this offseason, but they will have to be smart about picking their targets. The team is not going to sign a player who doesn’t mesh with what the Bears do on both sides of the ball and it’s likely that free agency won’t provide all of those top-tier offensive linemen needed up front.
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For the second time in five years, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace moved up in the NFL Draft to get a first-round quarterback, and head coach Matt Nagy followed it up with a 6-11 record.
Pace and Nagy both lost their jobs as a result of this double-dip.
The uninspired Pace/Nagy era has come to an end. With new GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus, the Bears are beginning fresh. Poles works in the front office of the Kansas City Chiefs. For the last four seasons, Eberflus has been the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts.
Since Pace took away majority of the club’s draft selections in 2022, these two will have to create a squad mostly via free agency. This means they’ll bolster the margins of a seasoned defense with individual skill while rebuilding the offense from the ground up around quarterback Justin Fields.
Here are the five free agents the Bears should seek in 2022 to help them attain these goals.
The salary cap situation of the Chicago Bears
Quandre Diggs, Mike Williams, and Ryan Jensen (L-R) | Abbie Parr/Getty Images, Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Despite not having any draft capital next season, Ryan Pace left the Chicago Bears in terrific salary cap condition. With an anticipated $27.4 million in cap space moving into the new year, the Bears are in the top half of the league.
Minor cap maneuvering with the contracts of pass rushers Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, DT Eddie Goldman, QB Nick Foles, LB Danny Trevathan, and RB Tarik Cohen might also free up another $20 million or so.
The Bears must utilize this financial room to both add quality to an offensive squad that lacks impact players and to become younger. With an average age of 27.02 years, Chicago is the fourth-oldest squad in the league heading into 2022.
In light of these requirements, these are the five free agents the Bears should target in 2022.
S Quandre Diggs, No. 5
It will almost certainly be on the shoulders of the defense if the Chicago Bears turn things around and reach the playoffs next season. However, the foundations of a playoff defense, anchored by rising star Roquan Smith, are already in place. To take it to the next level, the front office only needs to add a few pieces here and there.
With 16 interceptions in the previous two seasons, Quandre Diggs is a ballhawk of the first order. He’ll be an excellent defensive backfield companion for Eddie Jackson, and if Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn return and remain healthy, the pass rush may force a lot of wayward balls into Diggs’ hands.
3. G. Laken Tomlinson
The Chicago Bears would benefit from adding a safety, as well as a defensive lineman and an inside linebacker. On the offensive side of the ball, though, the team’s offseason should be focused on bolstering Justin Fields. In year two, remaking the offensive line is the greatest option to help Fields.
In his seven-year career, Laken Tomlinson has only missed one game. Working in Kyle Shanahan’s zone-blocking style in San Francisco, he also earned his first Pro Bowl appearance this season. That’s precisely what Chicago’s new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy plans to do, and Tomlinson would be the ideal guard to help him get started.
WR Mike Williams, No. 4
Darnell Mooney, a second-year wideout, had a strong rapport with Justin Fields this season, collecting 81 passes for 1,055 yards. Fields and Allen Robinson II, on the other hand, never completely connected because of Matt Nagy, according to the now-free agent WR.
The Bears could need a huge target with Robinson presumably out. Mike Williams, a 6-foot-4, 218-pound free agent, is the biggest target on the market this offseason. Last season, he enjoyed a breakout year with Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, catching 76 passes for 1,146 yards. Fields will benefit greatly from Williams’ stature and talent.
Cam Robinson (OT) is No. 2 on the list.
When you’ve got a new franchise quarterback, you’ll need a left tackle to protect his blindside. Cam Robinson is a true left tackle who has spent the past five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s also just 26 years old, suggesting that he may be a long-term spouse for Fields.
This free-agent season, there are a few stronger possibilities at the position. However, Chicago lacks the financial resources and championship ambitions to entice a Terron Armstrong or Orlando Brown Jr. Regardless, Robinson is a fantastic consolation prize.
C Ryan Jensen, No. 1
The Bucs OL played well as a whole last night, but Ryan Jensen stood out most & made a statement with his performance against Hargrave. In case anyone forgot who OC1 is.. pic.twitter.com/LZ3liRb623
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) October 15, 2021
When it comes to constructing an offensive line, the tackles get all the attention, and the guards are the tough men, but the center is in charge. They can call the protections, which is very important for a rookie quarterback, and set the tone for the whole offense, not just the offensive line. That’s why, if the Chicago Bears are going to spend a lot of money on a lineman, Ryan Jensen should be the one.
Jensen is one of the greatest centers in the league, and he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2021. He’s also one of the nastiest, giving the Bears’ offense an advantage that may help them advance. He’s a Super Bowl champion who spent the previous two seasons working with Tom Brady, and the principles he gained there might be very beneficial to Justin Fields.
Pro Football Reference provided all numbers, while Spotrac provided contract statistics.
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The “chicago bears cuts 2021” is a list of 5 players the Chicago Bears must target in free agency. These are the top five players they should look to sign this offseason.
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