Here’s the Quick -n- Dirrty…
- Several Bears offensive players like Robert Quinn and Mercedes Lewis are free agents after this season, so GM Ryan Poles has decisions to make on who to re-sign.
- The Bears have 3 wide receivers under contract next year (Moore, Scott, Jones), so WR is an area Poles may target in free agency or the draft. Marvin Harrison Jr. is noted as a potential draft target.
- On defense, DE is a big need area with several key free agents. The draft is light on DE talent, so re-signing Ngakoue or finding a DE in free agency may be necessary.
- Safety Eddie Jackson’s contract makes him a likely cap casualty. Cornerback is fairly solid with Johnson, Gordon, and Stevenson.
- The Bears have ample cap space in 2024 ($96 million) to be active in free agency if Poles chooses to go that route to fill holes.
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Hey there, fellow Bears Fans!
As a diehard Chicago Bears fan, I’m keeping a close eye on our free agency situation heading into 2024. There are several decisions that GM Ryan Poles will need to make about some key players on expiring contracts. With around $96 million in projected cap space, the Bears could be big spenders in free agency if Poles chooses to go that route.
Offensively, Poles has some calls to make at tight end and wide receiver. Our top two tight ends, Cole Kmet and Robert Quinn, are set to be free agents after this season wraps up. Kmet is still on his rookie deal while Quinn was brought in this past offseason on a one-year contract. With how scarce playmakers are in our passing game, I’d like to see both brought back for 2024. Quinn is still a solid run blocker and reliable pass catcher, even in his mid-30s.
At wideout, we’ll potentially have a very young group under contract with just Darnell Mooney, Velus Jones Jr. and Dazz Newsome. Mooney is the only proven commodity there when healthy. I could see Poles trying to re-sign Mooney while also targeting a veteran WR in free agency. Someone like JuJu Smith-Schuster would provide a nice complement to Mooney.
In the draft, Ohio State standout Marvin Harrison Jr. needs to be high on Chicago’s wish list. With his elite route running and hands, he’d give young QB Justin Fields a true WR1 target for years to come. Pairing Harrison with Mooney would give Fields some real firepower in the passing attack.
Up front, the Bears O-line could see some shuffling depending on what Poles elects to do with veterans like Cody Whitehair and Lucas Patrick. Whitehair’s cap hit is massive next season, so he could end up a cap casualty. The same goes for Patrick, who hasn’t lived up to expectations since coming over from Green Bay. Center and left guard depth should be addressed either via the draft or free agency.
Defensively, defensive end stands out as a major area of concern heading into 2024 free agency. With Robert Quinn likely gone and Al-Quadin Muhammad also hitting the market, the Bears’ pass rush could take a big step backward. Re-signing Muhammad to a short-term deal would make sense, as would targeting an elite edge rusher like Brian Burns in free agency if Poles wants to make a splash.
In the secondary, Eddie Jackson’s regression and exorbitant cap hit likely means his time in Chicago is coming to an end. But youngsters like Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon give me hope for the future at safety and corner. Re-signing veteran CB Jaylon Johnson needs to be a priority as well to solidify the secondary.
Above all, Poles needs to continue getting young talent onto this Bears roster via the draft. With nearly $100 million available to spend, Poles can make Chicago an enticing destination for free agents. But nailing this year’s draft class is paramount if the Bears truly want to contend in 2024 and beyond. As a diehard fan, I’ll be scrutinizing every Poles move closely this offseason!
Bear Down Bears fans! and as always… PEACE!
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