When the Chicago Bears add a third receiver alongside DJ Moore and Rome Odunze this offseason, it is likely that they will do so through the free agent market. While this draft class of wideouts is a decent one, Chicago’s front office will likely prioritize the trenches and possibly the running back position with their premier picks in April.
Luckily for the Bears, this crop of free agent receivers that are set to hit the open market in just a few weeks are very solid. New head coach Ben Johnson could look to target a new weapon for quarterback Caleb Williams that fits his scheme of playing fast. Keenan Allen was the third wide receiver in the Bears offense in 2024 but his skillset and lack of quickness could keep him off Chicago’s radar in free agency.
The Bears can take their pursuit of a new wide receiver in various directions. Depending on how much they want to spend on the position, the possibilities in this market are endless. Chicago’s front office has around $80 million in cap space to work with at the moment and outside of applying it to the trenches, they can spend bigger on another weapon if that’s the route they choose to take. The biggest wide receiver on the market could be attractive for the Bears based on what he’s brought to Tampa Bay over the last eight seasons.
Why Chris Godwin makes sense for the Chicago Bears
Chris Godwin could be playing for a new team this fall as he is testing the open market for the first time in his career. The wide receiver was a third-round draft choice of the Buccaneers out of Penn State in 2017 and instantly became a staple in their offense. Godwin has four 1,000 yard seasons to his name in his career, with the most in a single year being 1,333 yards in 2019.
Godwin only logged seven games this past season after dislocating his ankle in a Monday night loss to the Ravens which ended his season. His 2024 year saw him haul in 50 passes for 576 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per catch. Godwin found himself in the end zone five times, having two scores in Tampa Bay’s 51-27 blowout victory on October 13.
The 28-year-old has been the definition of consistent as long as he has been able to stay healthy since entering the NFL. Despite being a higher profile free agent, the Bears have the cap flexibility to make a play at him if the front office is serious about bringing him in. A winning pedigree comes with Godwin as well, as he won the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2020.
Why the Chicago Bears should steer clear of Chris Godwin
Godwin’s injury certainly puts a damper on his free agency saga this offseason. Anytime an explosive player comes off a lower body injury as significant as his, there will be plenty of reason to worry about the long term impact when agreeing to a bigger contract.
Sportrac’s estimated deal for Godwin right now is for three years for just under $68 million in total. The average annual value on a contract like that for the veteran receiver would come out to $22.5 million per season. That’s a steep price for someone coming off a serious injury even though Chicago has the funds to make a deal like that work.
If Godwin’s price can come down in the open market, the Bears should certainly be involved in his sweepstakes. However, if he’s looking for another north of $20 million per season, it would probably be best to avoid him and look at other options in free agency.
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