Bears projected to sign veteran guard in 2025 free agency after Trey Smith setback

The Chicago Bears won't get a chance to sign Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith in free agency, but this new projection by ESPN suggests they'll still land a veteran starter.

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Chicago Bears fans are still recovering from the news that the Kansas City Chiefs intend to place the franchise tag on guard Trey Smith, who appeared set to join the Bears in 2025 NFL free agency.

With that dream dashed, GM Ryan Poles must reassess his free agency strategy and ensure the Bears add up to three new starters to protect Caleb Williams.

According to a recent ESPN projection of one free-agent signing for every NFL team, the Bears can still find a starting guard even without Smith on the open market. In this prediction, they land Indianapolis Colts veteran Will Fries.

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"The entire interior of Chicago's offensive line will be leaving in free agency, so let's beef up quarterback Caleb Williams' pass protection," ESPN's Aaron Schatz wrote. "Fries will be just 27 years old this season, and he's playing his best ball.

"In the five games he played in before he suffered a season-ending leg injury, he posted career bests in both pass block win rate (92.4%) and run block win rate (74.3%). Fries ranked 37th with a 90.9% pass block win rate and had a league-average 70.3% run block win rate in 2023."

Fries appeared in only five games last season before a leg injury sidelined him, but he was ranked among the NFL's top guards during that time. While his injury will impact his market value, he’s still expected to attract multiple suitors if Indianapolis lets him go.

However, Colts GM Chris Ballard is hopeful he can get a deal done with Fries before the 2025 free agency bell goes off.

"He's never missed a day, doing everything in his power, he's progressing nicely," Ballard said from the NFL Combine of Fries' rehab. "I couldn't be more happy for him. Hopefully, we can get something done. If not, we'll get into free agency and see what the market is."

Fries is expected to command a contract that pays him north of $14 million per season, according to Spotrac. That number is likely going up now that he's getting healthy and Trey Smith is off the market.

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