3 free agents Bears must target after 2024 NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears have been the talk of the town after a very impressive NFL offseason, so much so that many feel the Bears are legitimate playoff contenders heading into 2024. Yes, even in the rugged NFC North.

It’s hard to blame people for their optimism surrounding Chicago. After all, the team added key pieces like running back D’Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett in free agency while also swinging a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers for wide receiver Keenan Allen. On top of that, the Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and took Washington wide out Rome Odunze at No. 9.

Suddenly, Chicago has one of the most formidable receiving groups in the league in DJ Moore, Allen and Odunze, plus a couple of very good tight ends in Cole Kmet and Everett. Williams is regarded by some as a generational prospect under center, and the Bears’ defense is pretty solid, too.

All of that being said, there are still some problem areas on Chicago’s roster.

It’s important to remember that the Bears did go just 7-10 last year, and they have made just two playoff appearances since 2011. So, expectations should probably be somewhat tempered. They aren’t the Kansas City Chiefs or the San Francisco 49ers.

Luckily, there are still some free agents available that Chicago could sign to help patch some holes. Here are some names for the Bears to consider.

Calais Campbell – Defensive Lineman

Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) tackles Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (31) during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest issue the Bears currently have is their pass rush.

Chicago amassed a grand total of just 30 sacks last season, which ranked second-to-last in the NFL. In fairness, the Bears did make a great midseason pickup, acquiring edge rusher Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders the trade deadline. Sweat logged six sacks in nine games with Chicago in 2023.

However, the Bears’ No. 2 sack-getter was defensive tackle Justin Jones, who posted 4.5 sacks last season. The thing is, he signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, so the cupboard is pretty bare after Sweat. Not only did Chicago not address the problem in free agency, but it didn’t do it via the draft, either.

The good news is that Calais Campbell is still available.

Campbell will be 38 years old by time the regular season starts, but he is coming off of a solid 2023 campaign with the Atlanta Falcons in which he registered 56 tackles and 6.5 sacks. He actually would have led the Bears in sacks last year.

It seems pretty strange that Campbell remains out there given how productive he was in 2023. Yes, he is old, and he is certainly not the same player from his Jacksonville Jaguars days, but he has displayed that he is still durable and effective.

Campbell would also bring a much-needed veteran presence to the locker room in Chicago. There are a lot of expectations surrounding the Bears heading into 2024, and that could be dangerous for a young team. Remember the Cleveland Browns back in 2019?

Chicago needs help with its pass rush and its defensive front in general. Signing Campbell would kill two birds with one stone.

Dalton Risner – Offensive Guard

Another area the Bears didn’t really hit this offseason was their offensive line.

Obviously, Chicago entered the offseason with needs up and down the roster, so the fact that it was not able to plug up every hole is not a major indictment on the front office. You only have so much money to work with, after all.

But, the offensive line—while not awful—could probably use some depth, especially after Nate Davis struggled in 2023.

That’s where Dalton Risner comes into play.

Risner spent the first four years of his career with the Denver Broncos before moving over to the Minnesota Vikings last offseason. He was a regular starter at guard for both clubs, and in his early years with the Broncos, he was very good.

In spite of being just 28 years old, Risner has regressed a bit over the past couple of seasons, but he remains very serviceable and is probably the best offensive lineman remaining on the free-agent market. Funny enough, he was also still available after the draft last year before ultimately joining the Vikings in mid-September.

Will Risner last that long this time around? Well, if the Bears have anything to say about it, hopefully not.

Yannick Ngakoue – Edge Rusher

Oct 5, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) reacts after the game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField. Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Again, Chicago needs a pass rusher, and Yannick Ngakoue may very well be the best pure pass rusher left on the open market.

Ngakoue actually spent the 2023 campaign in the Windy City, so there is some familiarity here. That being said, his lone season with the Bears wasn’t a very good one, as he logged just 22 tackles and four sacks in what was, quite easily, the least productive year of his NFL career.

It seems hard to believe that Ngakoue is rapidly declining, though. He is just 29 years old, and he is two seasons removed from posting 9.5 sacks with the Indianapolis Colts. Heck, in 2021, he racked up 10 sacks with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Ngakoue’s career trajectory is very odd. Outside of what could have just been an anomaly season with the Bears last year, the University of Maryland product has never registered less than eight sacks in a single campaign. You would then think he would have some staying power, but that hasn’t been the case. Since spending the first four years of his career with the Jaguars between 2017 and 2020, Ngakoue has played for five different teams and has not lasted any longer than one season with any of them.

Perhaps Chicago can change that?

Not too many people seem to be discussing the Bears’ thin front seven defensively. That’s probably because of all of the hype surrounding Williams and the offense, and it should be noted that Chicago’s secondary is pretty good. However, you need to be able to get to the opposing quarterback, and there isn’t a single player currently on the Bears’ roster outside of Sweat who can do that on a regular basis.

Chicago should bring back Ngakoue on a one-year deal with the hope that he can regain the form he had prior to 2023.