The Chicago Bears have continued to make some depth moves across their roster for the past few days. They added former Broncos outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu on Monday. Then they secured his teammate big right tackle Elijah Wilkinson. Now it seems they may have designs on securing some help at inside linebacker. This in the form of a familiar face.
According to Field Yates of ESPN, Chicago brought in Christian Jones for a visit. For those who don’t remember, he was an undrafted free agent by the Bears in 2014. Eventually, he became one of their prominent players on defense by 2017 where he had a career-high 90 tackles and two sacks. That allowed him to eventually secure a nice payday in free agency the subsequent offseason with the Detroit Lions. Now he could be coming home.
The Bears brought in a familiar face for a visit today in LB Christian Jones. He played in Chicago from 2014-2017 before spending the past three years in Detroit.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 23, 2021
This move would make sense if it happens.
The Bears have questionable depth at inside linebacker going into this offseason. Josh Woods and Joel Iyiegbuniwe failed to stand out during their brief opportunities to play last season. A reminder of how much the team lost when Nick Kwiatkoski and Kevin Pierre-Louis both left in free agency. Adding somebody like Jones with his proven experience makes perfect sense. Particularly with them switching back to the Vic Fangio-style of scheme under new coordinator Sean Desai.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Jones played three seasons in that system and was more than serviceable. With his help, the defense finished 10th in the NFL in 2017. A sign of things to come. With the uncertain health histories of both Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan, having somebody like him as the #3 guy would make plenty of sense. It comes down to whether the two sides can reach an agreement.
Chicago Bears plan is coming into focus
One thing about GM Ryan Pace? He is not a man who likes to be steered by needs. In his mind, if he enters an NFL draft with a glaring need at a position? He has failed. That is where free agency comes in. His track record continues to suggest he uses this time of year to address as many needs as possible. Then once the draft comes around, he’ll be free to take the best possible player.
With concerns at inside linebacker both due to health and quality of backups? This sort of signing is exactly what Pace is known for. It’s one of his greater strengths as a GM. If it happens, expect it to be a one-year deal and relatively cheap. Jones didn’t have a standout performance last season but he’s still healthy and athletic. If the memories of this defense return to him, he should be a steady contributor.
Does this mean no bigger moves are happening?
Not necessarily. While the Chicago Bears have shifted their focus to depth moves for the time being, plenty of good players remain available. The team made it clear they’re willing to take a swing at the right price. It’s a matter of staying patient and the right name falling into their net. Until then, securing Jones is another nice step towards solidifying their roster.
******************************UPDATE***********************************
The Chicago Bears agreed to a one-year deal with Jones shortly after the writing of this article. He returns to the fold.
A familiar face.
Welcome (back) to Chicago, Christian Jones! 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/plAfbB24Tv
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 23, 2021