The Chicago Bears are in a prime spot to turn their franchise around this off-season. They have found their franchise QB in Justin Fields, have the most cap space in the entire NFL ($92M), and hold the first pick in the draft. If this off-season goes the way the Bears plan, they could be the next team to go from worst to first in their division.
On offense, the Bears are an elite receiver away from being able to win games. Young QBs thrive when they have a safety valve to throw to when things start going south. Fields, entering his third year, still needs this. The Bears should aggressively land him a star wide receiver and add more pieces around him. This free agency lacks star wide receivers (WR), but there are a few candidates for WR2. The Bears should look at guys like Allen Lazard, Jarvis Landry, D.J. Chark, or Jakobi Meyers to fill this role. These guys would provide depth at the position, moving Chase Claypool to WR3 and forcing defenses to pick who they want to stop.
With the Bears’ money and David Montgomery set to hit the market, the Bears could upgrade at the running back position. The running back class is deep, with many guys who could leave stagnant situations to play for an up-and-coming Bears team. Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, and Tony Pollard would all be upgrades and could sign with the Bears for a little extra (without overpaying). The big name to look out for is Saquon Barkley. While it is unlikely the Bears can pry Barkley from the Giants, it is definitely worth the try.
On defense, the Bears need a lot. Luckily there are pieces in this free agency group that could help them right away. The Bears could approach this defensive free agency class one of two ways. They can pay big money for the big names or give out one-year “prove-it” deals to guys emerging from bad situations. Players like Jadeveon Clowney, Clelin Ferrell, and Devin Bush could all have prove-it deals in hopes that things turn around for them. The Bears could bring guys like Marcus Peters, Fletcher Cox, and Yannick Ngakoue to teach the young guys the Bears get acquire during the draft.
Once the Bears added solid complimentary pieces to the offense, it will be time to swing for the big hitter on draft day. The Bears hold the first pick, and every QB-hungry team is throwing their best price on the table. The Bears must stay in the top 10 and get a true WR1. The Indianapolis Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders fit these criteria.
If the Bears trade with the Colts, they should receive a package including the fourth pick this year, a 2024 second-round pick, and Micheal Pittman Jr. This would give the Bears a true WR1 to match the WR2 they sign in free agency, and it would still put them in a position to draft one of the top two defensive prospects.
If the Bears trade with the Raiders, they should receive a package that includes the seventh pick this year and Davante Adams. Adams’s teammate and best friend, Derek Carr, is out, and Carr is the reason Adams ended up in Las Vegas. Now that Carr is out, Adams could also be on his way. While the Bears would love to have one of the top defensive prospects, getting Adams would soften the blow of settling for a tier-two defensive guy.
Whichever deal the Bears decide to go with, they will be in a position to have their long-term WR1, pick up a young defensive stud to build their unit around, and then be able to add another young receiver and defensive personnel the rest of the draft.
Believe it or not, the Bears are in a position to compete in the NFC North. All it takes is a few smart moves, and the trajectory of this franchise will be moving in the right direction.