3 Under-the Radar Free Agents the Chicago Bears Should Consider

The Bears had a busy start to free agency. While they didn't do any shopping at Erewhon, they did browse the aisles of Whole Foods with two pickups, Devin Bush and Coby Bryant.

The rest of their moves were more indicative of grocery shopping at Target. They might've even price checked a few of their new additions at Walmart.

While many of the big-name free agents have agreed to terms at this point, there are still a handful of players who have yet to find a home. I'm honestly surprised a few veterans that I thought could interest Chicago (like Cameron Jordan and Nick Cross) haven't gotten signed yet. However, I think it would be a stretch to categorize them as "under-the-radar."

Instead, I want to focus on a few players who haven't received nearly as much attention as their peers, but could still have solid impacts for the Bears if they were to bring them into Halas. Which players fit that billing to a tee?

Malcolm Koonce

Malcolm Koonce looked like a rising star opposite Maxx Crosby a few years ago. He put up eight sacks and forced three fumbles in 2023 and staked his claim on the edge rusher position (holding off seventh overall pick Tyree Wilson in Vegas).

Unfortunately, his momentum was promptly halted after he tore his ACL ahead of the '24 season. The Raiders re-signed him to a one-year, $12 million deal last offseason, but he failed to make nearly as much of an impact, finishing the year with only 4.5 sacks despite playing nearly an identical number of snaps.

Koonce now enters free agency for the first time in his career, and there's much less hype around him in a relatively loaded group of edge rushers looking to sign with new teams this offseason. There's reason to believe he could be a massive steal on the open market, as he's still only 27 years old and will be two years removed from his torn ACL at the start of next season.

Notably, Koonce has also been a solid run defender throughout his career. He'd be a rock-solid, low-risk, potentially high-reward pickup for Chicago.

Arnold Ebiketie

I'm sticking with the defensive end position here (remember I mentioned how deep it is), as Arnold Ebiketie is another player who could be a massive bargain in free agency.

At 6'2", 250 lbs., he doesn't exactly fit the build that Dennis Allen historically covets from his pass-rushers (BIG BODIED and LONG), but he showed real promise as a pass-rusher before being buried on the depth chart after Atlanta added two edge rushers in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He's someone I hope Allen would be able to make an exception for.

He had six sacks in both 2023 and 2024 and should have a lot of gas left in his tank at the age of 27. While I still expect them to add an edge rusher in this year's draft, you can never have too many quality pass-rushers. The Bears could do much worse than adding a discounted Arnold Ebiketie (on account of his quiet 2025 season) opposite Montez Sweat and alongside Austin Booker. That would definitely give them the type of pass-rushing juice they're searching for on the edges.

Andre Cisco

I really hope the Bears take a shot on Andre Cisco. I think he will have a relatively light market after a disappointing season with the Jets (you could say that about practically everyone who spends a year playing for New York), but he's a talented player who desperately needs a change of scenery.

He was off to a promising enough start in his career to earn a $10 million prove-it deal last offseason. The only thing he proved was that he wasn't capable of thriving amid a dumpster fire. He instead got burned by it, and his next contract will surely take a sizable hit as a result.

Cisco is still only 25 years old and has experience playing both safety spots during his days in Jacksonville. That type of versatility would make him a great fit for Dennis Allen's defense, as he historically likes his safeties to be interchangeable. Cicso and Coby Bryant would be a great duo in that regard, as they both can wear a lot of hats in the secondary.

It sure doesn't hurt that he won't cost them much on a one or two-year deal, either.