Towards the end of the 2021 regular season, many Chicago Bears fans were already compiling lists of possible free agents the team could pursue. A time-honored tradition when the team isn’t good and has some cap space to spend money. However, plans changed when GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy were fired. Suddenly those lists became next to useless because they involved players that one regime would’ve wanted.
A regime that no longer exists. Three weeks later and the picture is finally coming back into focus. Ryan Poles has taken over at GM. Matt Eberflus was his choice for the head coach. What the two lack in flash they seem to make up for in vision. Though they have yet to make any sort of personnel decisions, it is becoming clear they have an idea for how this team will likely be built moving forward.
To that end, here are some free agent names worth keeping an eye on. Players that fit the systems and style this new coaching staff will likely prefer.
Free agents this new Chicago Bears regime will target
Larry Ogunjobi (DT, Cincinnati Bengals)
One of the most important positions in Eberflus’ Tampa-2 variation of defense is the three-technique defensive tackle. This is the designated interior pass rusher of the group. When players like Aaron Donald or DeForest Buckner are in place to play it, the scheme always functions at a high level. Think Tommie Harris and Henry Melton back in the Lovie Smith era. If retaining Akiem Hicks or Bilal Nichols for that role isn’t in the plan, then Ogunjobi makes perfect sense. He played that spot to perfection this season in Cincinnati, collecting seven sacks and helping his team reach the Super Bowl.
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Good lord Larry Ogunjobi with the bench press pic.twitter.com/cErTWK8swB
— Mike (Sans) (@bengals_sans) January 4, 2022
Jarran Reed (DT, Kansas City Chiefs)
While he only had 2.5 sacks this season, don’t be fooled. Reed is one of the better interior pass rushers in the league. He had 10.5 sacks in 2018 and 6.5 in 2020. The guy has the quickness, burst, and motor necessary to squeeze the pocket up the middle. If he isn’t the one getting to the quarterback, he still makes it far easier for the defensive ends to do so. As if Robert Quinn and Khali Mack will need any further help in that.
Kwon Alexander (OLB, New Orleans Saints)
Another significant change for the Chicago Bears defense will be at linebacker. Instead of two inside and two outside linebackers, they will now go with two outside and one middle. Right now Roquan Smith is the only one certain to be in that group and there is no telling if Eberflus will keep him in the middle or consider shifting him to the “Will” position. Similar to Lance Briggs during the Smith era. The beauty of signing Alexander is he’s played both. He was a Pro Bowl middle linebacker in Tampa Bay and then became a standout outside linebacker for the Saints. In just 12 games this season he had 50 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and an interception.
K’Waun Williams (CB, San Francisco 49ers)
The third and final significant need for the Tampa-2 defense is a slot cornerback. Somebody capable of moving around on the interior of the secondary. Eberflus had Pro Bowler Kenny Moore II in Indianapolis. So it figures he’ll try to find somebody comparable in Chicago. Williams was ranked in the top 10 cornerbacks that logged 50% or more of their snaps in the slot this season. Quarterbacks had a modest 90.8 passer rating when targeting him with just one touchdown and two interceptions. He would certainly be an upgrade over anybody the Bears have not named Jaylon Johnson.
Bradley Bozeman appreciation post pic.twitter.com/i3k42B9DA0
— RAMEY (@HoodieRamey) November 4, 2021
Bradley Bozeman (C, Baltimore Ravens)
If Luke Getsy plans to run a more RPO-centric offense as many expect, then he’s going to need help on the offensive line. Especially at center. Sam Mustipher has been serviceable but is too often a liability against decent interior defenders. Bozeman is battle-tested against some of the best in the NFL. He’s got much better size than Mustipher (6’5, 317 lbs) and is well-versed in executing an RPO-style offense, having done so with Lamar Jackson since 2018. Outside of a few games midway through the year, he was excellent in pass protection (7 pressures in final 8 games) and decent enough in run blocking.
Jamison Crowder (WR, New York Jets)
Wide receiver could look really different for the Chicago Bears next season as three of their top four targets at the position will be free agents this offseason. One problem they had a lot was the lack of a reliable target in the slot as neither Damiere Byrd nor Marquise Goodwin could thrive there. Finding somebody to take advantage of Darnell Mooney’s speed on the outside should be a priority. Crowder has quietly been one of the most consistent and reliable slot target for the past few years. Nobody knows this because he’s been trapped with the Jets most of that time. Despite Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson as his quarterbacks most of that time, he still managed 1,979 yards and 14 touchdowns over 40 games.
