Is this player a good fit for the Chicago Bears? One insider believes so
Through the first two years of his tenure with the Chicago Bears, general manager Ryan Poles hasn’t really made a big splash in terms of spending money in free agency. While that may continue this year, there is a few targets the Chicago Bears could sign that would be considered a ‘big splash’ and have an impact on the defense.
And one of those players is a potential game-changer on the defensive line.
With Miami not using the franchise tag on Christian Wilkins, he will hit the free agent market. And he might be a perfect fit for the Chicago Bears on the defensive line.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune released his latest Bears Q&A on Wednesday, a week before the new league year officially begins. And in the piece, he talks about Wilkins being a good match for the Bears on the defensive line:
To me, the most intriguing free-agent match is Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The only reason he is expected to hit the open market is the Dolphins are facing a salary-cap crunch. Wilkins turned 28 in December and is in the prime of his career as a disruptive interior lineman. Putting him on a line with Montez Sweat would raise the profile of the Bears front seven.
Will the Bears be a player for Wilkins? I wish I had a good answer for that but I don’t. It would make sense given their cap situation and the fact Wilkins isn’t seeking a third contract. There will be no shortage of teams interested in him, and it would take a huge payday to get him signed. A deal for Wilkins should easily exceed $20 million per season.
I do like the idea of sinking big money into a disruptive three-technique more than, say, another edge rusher. The Bears need speed at defensive end opposite Sweat and there might not be a great fit in free agency that makes sense financially.
Wilkins is a good two-way player. He’s solid against the run and produced nine sacks and 23 quarterback hits last season, both career highs. He has missed only two games since the Dolphins picked him in the first round out of Clemson in 2019. There’s a lot to like. Wilkins is represented by agent David Mulugheta, who also has Bears quarterback Justin Fields as a client.
That’s very interesting. Chicago could use a three technique to help solidify the line, which was boosted by the addition of Montez Sweat last season.
Will the Chicago Bears spend money on Christian Wilkins?
In his first two years as general manager, Ryan Poles hasn’t exactly gone out and spent a lot of money on big-name players. But instead they have found value signings as the route they decided to go.
This year could be different. But as Biggs notes, Poles will be calculated:
I don’t sense Bears general manager Ryan Poles is dying to burn through cap space and his cash budget. He likely will be calculated. Wilkins plays at a level that it might make sense to splurge. Lining him up alongside Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter would give coach Matt Eberflus a world of possibilities and be troublesome for opposing offensive coordinators.
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