The Bears didn’t wait around for the start of free agency to start remaking their team, trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signing tight end Durham Smythe to a contract last week.
General manager Ryan Poles and new head coach Ben Johnson still have plenty of work to do to build a roster using their shared vision, starting on the offensive and defensive lines.
Here’s where the Bears roster stands entering the start of the free agent tampering period at 11 a.m. Monday, when teams can negotiate with agents before signing contracts starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday:
Cap space
The Bears have $40.9 million in salary cap space, which as of Sunday ranked 18th in the NFL, per Spotrac. The top five: the Patriots, Commanders, Chargers, Cardinals and Steelers.
Ranking the Bears’ needs:
1. Offensive line. Even after trading for Thuney and Jackson, the Bears are in desperate need of a starting center — and perhaps a left tackle to take Braxton Jones’ job. The large-scale change is justified — quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked 58 times last year, tied for the third-most ever in a season.
2. Defensive line. After cutting DeMarcus Walker, the Bears need an assertive edge rusher to start opposite Montez Sweat — and an interior lineman or two to push the pocket alongside nose tackle Andrew Billings. During the Matt Eberflus era, no NFL team had fewer sacks than the Bears’ 90.
3. Tight end. The Bears gave Durham Smythe a one-year deal Thursday, but he profiles more as a blocking tight end. They need a pass-catching complement to Cole Kmet after Gerald Everett whiffed badly last year, catching eight balls for 36 yards.
4. Running back. D’Andre Swift looks like a timeshare player and Roschon Johnson is coming off a 2.7 yards per game average. If Johnson wants to recreate the Lions’ “Sonic and Knuckles” backfield, the Bears need to add a physical rusher.
5. Safety. A frightening concussion last year cost Jaquan Brisker all but five games. If the Bears decide they can’t rely on him to stay healthy, there are plenty of capable veterans available in free agency.
6. Wide receiver. The Bears are in the market for a third receiver to team with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze after Keenan Allen posted his worst season since 2016, when he suffered a season-ending injury in the first game. The Lions’ Tim Patrick could make sense.
7. Quarterback. Williams’ development last year didn’t go as smoothly as the Bears hoped it would. Perhaps adding a veteran quarterback to a room with he and Tyson Bagent will change that. Jarrett Stidham played for new Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle last year in Denver, while Teddy Bridgewater finished the season with Johnson’s Lions.
8. Cornerback. Jaylon Johnson remains one of the league’s best and Kyler Gordon is on track for an extension in the coming months. How much does the new staff trust Tyrique Stevenson?
9. Linebacker. Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards remain solid, though the Bears will eye a strong-side linebacker.
10. Specialist. Kicker Cairo Santos and punter Tory Taylor are among the league’s better specialists. The Bears have an opening at snapper.
Return of the Mack?
The Bears put out a social media video with defensive highlights from recent years on Friday. Edge rusher Khalil Mack appeared more than anyone else.
Mack — whom the Bears traded to the Chargers three years ago — is among the household names available at edge rusher. Others include his former teammate, the Chargers’ Joey Bosa; the Eagles’ Josh Sweat, fresh of a Super Bowl title; the Jets’ Haason Reddick, who had only one sack last year; and the Bills’ Von Miller, who was cut Sunday.
Chase Young, who played for new Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen last year with the Saints, is available, as is Matthew Judon, for whom the Bears made a trade offer last year.
Then there’s the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks last year and whose agent has been granted permission to seek a trade — and negotiate a record-breaking contract.
Under-the-radar candidates include the Colts’ Dayo Odeyingbo, the Cardinals’ Baron Browning and the Raiders’ Malcolm Koonce.
Mack has missed just one game in three years in Los Angeles. He had 17 sacks in 2023 and averaged 10.3 in three years with the Chargers. In four Bears seasons, he averaged nine. He’ll likely fetch at least $20 million a year over at least two guaranteed seasons.
Bears market
Below are Bears players slated to become unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents or exclusive rights free agents Monday. The Bears have the right of first refusal on restricted free agents and exclusive negotiating power on ERFAs.
The list includes defensive end DeMarcus Walker and tight end Gerald Everett, whom they cut last month. Included is each player’s 2024 average annual salary, according to spotrac.com. All players are UFAs unless noted:
OFFENSE
RB: Travis Homer ($2M), Darrynton Evans ($1.1M)
WR: Keenan Allen ($20M), DeAndre Carter ($1.2M), Nsimba Webster ($1.1M), Collin Johnson ($1.1M)
TE: Gerald Everett ($6M), Marcedes Lewis ($2M), Stephen Carlson ($985,000)
OL: C Coleman Shelton ($3M), G Teven Jenkins ($2.1M), G Matt Pryor ($1.2M), T Jake Curhan ($1.1M), T Larry Borom ($953,270), RFA Doug Kramer ($915,000)
DEFENSE
DL: DeMarcus Walker ($7M), Darrell Taylor ($3.2M), Jake Martin ($1.3M), Byron Cowart ($1.1M), ERFA Jonathan Ford ($915,000)
LB: Jack Sanborn ($855,833)
CB: ERFA Ameer Speed ($915,000),
S: Tarvarius Moore ($1.1M), Adrian Colbert ($1.1M), RFA Jaylon Jones ($854,167), ERFA Douglas Coleman ($795,000)
SPECIAL TEAMS
LS: Patrick Scales ($1.4M), Scott Daly ($1.1M)
Centers of attention
The Bears have solved their guard problem with two trades, but center remains their biggest concern. Here are four potential free agent solutions:
1. The Falcons’ Drew Dalman. By far the best on the market, the 26-year-old ranked fourth in Pro Football Focus’ center rankings last year and third the season before. He could command upwards of $15 million a year.
2. The Colts’ Ryan Kelly. The 31-year-old has gone to the Pro Bowl four times, most recently in 2023, and likely wouldn’t need more than a two-year contract.
3. The Bears’ Coleman Shelton. He was perfectly fine last year, ranking 12th by PFF metrics. If can’t land a starting job elsewhere, the team could bring him back for depth.
Eye on D-tackles
Matt Eberflus never got the tone-setting defensive tackle that he desired. The Bears still need one. The Eagles’ Milton Williams, who starred in the Super Bowl, sits atop the class and might be too expensive for a Bears team with other holes to fill. Poles liked Javon Hargrave the last time he hit the market, though the 32-year-old is coming off surgery to fix a torn triceps with the 49ers. Jonathan Allen went to two Pro Bowls with the Commanders.