3 Moves the Chicago Bears Must Make This Offseason
As the NFL offseason officially begins for all 32 teams, we will examine what each franchise must do in free agency and the NFL Draft to emerge a better, more complete team when the 2025 season kicks off in September.
The Chicago Bears have the resources, and the pieces already in place, to level up in 2025.
After the most coveted coach this hiring cycle, former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson hitched his wagon to Caleb Williams and the Bears, general manager Ryan Poles now has the opportunity to leverage a top-10 draft pick and abundant cap space to build an offense that rivals the personnel Johnson had at his disposal in Detroit.
The fact that Williams managed to pass for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns to six interceptions while absorbing 68 sacks and having two different offensive play callers and two different head coaches during his rookie season is a minor miracle.
Given Williams’ skill set and pedigree, the former Heisman Trophy winner’s upside in Year 2 is off the charts, thanks to the benefit of a full offseason program and playing for a head coach who has been enamored by him since catching himself sidetracked watching Williams while scouting Bears tape last season.
While Chicago resides in the most competitive division in football, thanks to Johnson’s influence, Williams’ upside, and playmakers such as wide receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, tight end Cole Kmet, and versatile running back D’Andre Swift already in the fold, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic that a new era is dawning in the Windy City.
Here’s a full breakdown of the Bears’ assets to rebuild with this offseason, and three moves that could turn things around in Chicago.
Between The Hashmarks is independent and reader-supported NFL journalism. If you’re a football fan who enjoys in-depth coverage of NFL news, with analysis and insights from sources across the league, please consider becoming a subscriber today!
Chicago Bears Cap Space
It’s no wonder that both Poles and Johnson used the NFL Combine as a megaphone declaring their plans to be hyperaggressive this offseason, given the amount of spending flexibility the fourth-year general manager has at his disposal.
"The clearer the vision,” Poles told reporters at the Combine. “The more aggressive you can be. You want to be selective in free agency. Historically it can tell you and you can learn from that. But if there's certain players that hit all the checked boxes you need, there's really no reason to hold back and I feel like you can be aggressive in those situations."
With free agency looming, the Bears are projected to have upwards of $79.9 million in total cap space, which is fourth most in the NFL.
Since Poles and the Bears have a franchise quarterback in place, entering the second year of his rookie contract, Chicago’s top priorities this offseason are going to be fortifying the offensive line in front of Williams, bolstering the pass rush, and adding quality depth across the roster.
Chicago Bears Draft Picks
Few franchises are better positioned, given the talent that is already in place at some of the most vital skill positions on the roster, than the Bears are in this year’s draft.
Chicago boasts eight total selections, but three of them are in the top 50 selections, thanks to owning Carolina’s second round pick.
Those two second round choices could prove invaluable to Chicago if there is a prospect sliding down the board in Round 1 that Poles believes could be a difference-maker, making a trade up to secure him and his accompanying fifth-year option on his rookie deal.
Round 1, pick No. 10
Round 2, pick No. 39 (via Carolina Panthers)
Round 2, pick No. 41
Round 3, pick No. 72
Round 5, pick No. 149
Round 6, pick No. 197 (via Pittsburgh Steelers)
Round 7, pick No. 235 (via Cincinnati Bengals)
Round 7, pick No. 242 (via Minnesota Vikings)
Three Moves the Chicago Bears Must Make this Offseason
Sign Kevin Zeitler
The Chicago Bears didn’t exactly make it much of a secret that Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith was among the organization’s top free-agent targets.
However, when the Chiefs decided to use the franchise tag on Smith, preventing him from reaching free agency, the Bears were forced back to the drawing board and to implement their contingency plans for rebuilding the offensive line.
Kevin Zeitler wouldn’t be a terrible consolation prize for Poles and the Bears.
Zeitler, 34, is an established veteran and one of the steadiest players at the position across the league. Last season, Pro Football Focus graded Zeitler as the fifth-ranked guard in the league, as he allowed five sacks and just four quarterback hits with the Detroit Lions.
The Bears could also look to target Senior Bowl standout and North Dakota State rising star Grey Zabel in the second round, if free agent targets like Zeitler go flying off the board before Chicago can get in the mix.
Trade for Myles Garrett
Why not?
General manager Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns sound intent on holding Garrett hostage and not trading the former Defensive Player of The Year riding a four-season streak of producing at least 14 sacks. But, does Berry change his tune if Poles swings by the Starbucks inside the Indianapolis J.W. Marriott and offers a 2024 first-round pick, 2024 second-round pick, and a 2025 first-round pick, which would give Cleveland a pair of top-10 selections in this year’s draft?
Pairing Garrett opposite Montez Sweat along the Bears’ front-seven is a division-altering combination and the kind of move that sets Chicago up to play a dominant brand of complementary football, while following the Philadelphia Eagles’ blueprint for Super Bowl success.
Chicago is one of the few organizations with the combination of premium draft capital strong enough to make the Browns a compelling enough offer to move off of Garrett, the cap space to sign the 29-year-old to a lucrative long-term contract, while offering a situation where he might just be the franchise’s missing piece.
Sign Stefon Diggs
With the exception of Odunze, the Bears have struggled mining elite wide receivers in the NFL Draft, but a proven playmaker with plenty of big-game experience happens to be available this offseason.
Stefon Diggs is coming off a torn ACL that limited him to just 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games last season, which could keep his price tag down when free agency begins.
Regardless, the Bears should be in the mix here, because pairing Diggs’ game-breaking speed alongside Moore and Odunze sets up the kind of prolific receiving corps that not only mirrors what Johnson had at his disposal as a play-caller in Detroit but that can instantly elevate a young quarterback with Williams’ skill set.
In Case You Missed It
For years, the Bears have been a toothless organization but now, as evidenced in the top photo, the Bears have finally sprouted a tooth, what with a potential franchise QB on a rookie deal and $79 million in cap space to misspend.
Still, the Bears offensive skill players are at best a C+ group. Odunze may become a true #1 WR; Moore definitely isn't . Kmet is a mid tier TE and RB Swift, on his third team in five years, is a replacement level runner. The line gave up 68 sacks, and if we apportion 20 sacks to a rookie QB holding the ball too long and spinning in the pocket like a blender blade, that's still an average of 3 sacks a game.
Gotta get off to work. Bottom line, if Bears ownership / management gives new head coach Ben Johnson a chance to get to a fourth year without scrapping every coach after year two, the Bears might build something to compete in the NFC North. Picks and cap space mean little for an organization without a set organizational vision and the discipline to hold the line during downturns. A tooth takes a long time to come in; it may take a couple more years for the Bears to grow that second one.
- Not excited about Zeitler UNLESS ... they can get him cheap and on a 1 year deal and make him a 'bridge' guy. He'll be 35 this year and if they're serious about building something here, you don't do it with guys at the tail end of their career
- Trading for Garrett? Costs way too much. I've seen other projections where he'll cost more than what you've projected. Two 1st rounders is the base. More like 2 1sts and a 3rd and something else. Please no. That said, your comment about him paired with Sweat being a division changing move, that's probably true. Just costs too much. They need need too much help elsewhere
- The biggest concern most Bear fans have is the guy making the decisions. Ryan Poles has shown terrible judgment. Matt Eberflus was one of the 3-4 worst HCs of my lifetime, any level. Some terrible drafting; signing Nate Davis when he was warned about him; Claypool, traded a 2nd round pick. More.
He's capable of effing this up too.