After a wild first week of free agency, the dust is just now starting to settle as big contracts and unexpected trades have turned the league on its head. As for the Chicago Bears, there is still plenty of work to do with some glaring issues still needing to be addressed. Will GM Ryan Poles start turning his attention towards the NFL Draft in April? Or will he continue looking at that second and third tier of free agency to fill out the roster?
Poles is still playing with approximately $24 million in cap space heading into this season so the moves may not be done. Here’s a look at five players still out there in free agency that may make sense for the Bears to pursue for 2022.
Derek Barnett, DE, 2021 Team: Philadelphia Eagles
You can never have enough edge rushers to cycle through on any given Sunday and filling the production loss from the Khalil Mack trade is no easy feat. Al-Quadin Muhammad was signed following his first few seasons in Indianapolis with new Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, but more players are needed to help get after the quarterback: enter Derek Barnett.
The Eagles’ 2017 1st Round selection hasn’t put up the eye-popping sack numbers you would come to expect at just 21.5 career sacks, but he continues to get after the quarterback, posting a career 76 QB hits in his 5-year career. It also happens that the Bears’ assistant GM Ian Cunningham was the Eagles’ director of college scouting when they drafted Barnett. Youth is still on his side as well as the edge rusher will only be 26-years old at the beginning of the season. While he doesn’t provide the versatility that Mack could offer, letting Barnett run loose on passing down situations could be a huge boost to the Bears’ defense.
Will Fuller, WR, 2021 Team: Miami Dolphins
All the talk coming into this season was how much the offense needed to play to Justin Fields’ strengths and surrounding him with the appropriate talent to do so. While the Bears have added wide receivers Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown to the roster, taking a flier on the oft-injured Will Fuller may be worth the gamble to see what he can do in the orange and navy. It was rough go of things for the soon-to-be 28-year-old receiver in 2021, appearing in just two games for the Miami Dolphins due to a broken finger. Not once has Fuller appeared in every game of the regular season, and for a team looking to not break the bank like the Bears, a “prove it” deal may be worth sending Fuller’s way.
The Notre Dame product was a dynamic field stretcher during his previous five years in Houston, averaging a near 70% catch rate when playing with QB Deshaun Watson. Adding Fuller to the mix for Justin Fields’ weapons can give the young Bears’ QB a reliable option when he’s healthy, in a market he’s probably relatively familiar with from his college days.
Deshaun Watson bomb to Will Fuller 🚀
53-yard TD 😱
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/HLmx7QyFRD
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 18, 2020
Landon Collins, S, 2021 Team: Washington Commanders
It’s still a relative unknown who will be lining up next to Eddie Jackson at safety in 2022 following the departure of Tashaun Gibson, and Collins could provide some solid, if not improved, safety play if he were to come to Chicago. Rewind back two years and you would have found former GM Ryan Pace lobbying Collins to join the Bears prior to signing what was the largest safety contract ever with Washington. The other team who was in the hunt for Collins’ services at that time? The Indianapolis Colts. The 3-time Pro Bowler is reportedly being released as a post-June 1 cut for the Commanders, saving $11.9 million for the upcoming season.
Landon Collins will be a post-June 1 cut, source confirms. (@MikeGarafolo 1st).
That increases the savings to $11.9 million with only $3.8 million left on the cap. But it also means his contract remains on the books until then.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) March 16, 2022
It ended up being a bizarre two years in Washington for Collins, who transitioned to a hybrid linebacker role in 2021, compiling 81 tackles and three sacks in 13 games. Getting Collins back to his roots as a playmaking safety could pay dividends for the Bears, allowing him to bring a physical edge to the position that currently doesn’t exist.
Ereck Flowers, G, 2021 Team: Washington Commanders
While we’re on the topic of former Washington players, let’s look at guard Ereck Flowers. Originally a left tackle drafted 9th overall by the New York Giants in the 2015 NFL Draft, Flowers has bloomed (pun intended) since transitioning to guard in 2019. A shocking cap casualty, the 27-year-old lineman saves the Commanders $10 million against the cap with his departure as he looks for a new team.
Having just missed two games over the last three years, Flowers could plug in at right guard for the Bears, their most glaring hole along the offensive line. In 2021, the Miami product allowed just three sacks, six quarterback hits and 26 pressures in 1061 snaps. The only thing that comes as a question on Flowers’ resume is whether or not his 6-foot-6, 330 pound frame fits what Poles is looking for, as he has said multiple times he wants “lighter and quicker” lineman. Nevertheless, you cannot discount Flowers’ performance since making the positional switch, which lines up right with what the Bears are looking for.
Kyle Fuller, CB, 2021 Team: Denver Broncos
Could a new regime mean a reunion is in the cards for the Bears and Kyle Fuller? It’s an obvious truth that there needs to be more talent in the cornerback room for Chicago so why not bring in a familiar face? Yes, there still may be some sour feelings for Fuller even though it is a new front office regime, but the price tag may be right for Poles to go after the veteran corner after a down 2021 with the Broncos.
When we say a down year, we mean a down year. After reuniting with former Bears DC Vic Fangio in the Mile High City, Fuller was then benched in October and shopped at the trade deadline. A return to familiar pastures may be able to get Fuller back on track after what was a tumultuous offseason for the 30-year-old veteran. 2021 was the first year of his career that Fuller failed to record an interception. While he might not be the player of old that Bears fans are used to, his signing could come at a discount they may not be able to pass up if there’s mutual interest.
And to relive the good ol’ days, here’s some highlights of Fuller during his Bears days:
Kyle Fuller delivering your Sunday dose of Bears football. pic.twitter.com/h2y4gas8Cj
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 11, 2020
Should the Bears focus on any of these names as the second week of free agency continues? Who else do you think the Bears could go after?
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