Bear Digest

ESPN insists the Chicago Bears avoid these 5 ‘overrated’ 2025 free agents

Alan Goldsher|
An ESPN pundit believes that the Chicago Bears -- as well as the rest of the league -- shouldn't throw a bunch of money at running back Najee Harris
An ESPN pundit believes that the Chicago Bears -- as well as the rest of the league -- shouldn't throw a bunch of money at running back Najee Harris | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

In the months leading up to the NFL’s free agency period, front offices spend way too much time evaluating way too many big-name free agents who, upon first blush, seem like a perfect team fit.

But that might be because they’re big-name free agents. And a big-name doth not always a perfect fit make.

To that end, ESPN’s Seth Walder listed five available players who the Chicago Bears—or, heck, who every team in the league—should avoid giving a fat contract.

Sam Darnold (QB)

  • The Bears are set at quarterback, so Sammy is more than welcome to sling elsewhere.

Do We Agree With ESPN: Frankly, we don’t really care.

Amari Cooper (WR)

  • Cooper is an intriguing option for the Midway Monsters, especially if Keenan Allen doesn’t re-sign. Some pundits have cited Chicago as an ideal landing spot for the 30-year-old, but Spotrac has his market value clocking in at $14.1, a scootch pricey for a WR3.

Do We Agree With ESPN: Yep. If Bears GM Ryan Poles can convince Cooper to take, say, $10 million, then we can talk.

Tershawn Wharton (DE)

  • Spotrac feels that the 27-year-old could/should garner a $7.4 million/year deal, a seemingly reasonable number for a guy who racked up 6.5 sacks last year—which would’ve been tops on the Bears in 2024—and played in all 17 games.

Do We Agree With ESPN: Nope. If the Bears can’t lock down a Trey Hendrickson trade, or a Joey Bosa signing, Wharton could be a slick and affordable option.

Najee Harris (RB)

  • It’s tough to get a concrete read on this fantasy football darling, as he’s spent the majority of his career in Pittsburgh sharing a backfield with Jaylen Warren. Can he be a bell-cow? Harris unquestionably thinks so. The rest of us have no clue.

Do We Agree With ESPN: Absolutely. Harris hasn’t missed a single game in his four-year career, so there’s plenty of tape on the guy, thus the Bears would know what they’re getting: Another D’Andre Swift. Poles would be way better off grabbing a running back on day two of the NFL Draft.

Paulson Adebo (CB)

  • What with eventually-perennial All-Pro Jaylon Johnson and the potential-laden, albeit problematic Tyrique Stevenson patrolling the defensive backfield, the Bears don’t need to bring in a too-pricey starting-level corner.

Do We Agree With ESPN: Totally. The 2025 free agent class is loaded with talented twentysomething defensive backs—Byron Murphy and Charvarius Ward come to mind—so if you’re going to overpay somebody, overpay a beast.

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Alan Goldsher
ALAN GOLDSHER

Alan Goldsher has written about sports for Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Apple, Playboy, NFL.com, and NBA.com, and he’s the creator of the Chicago Sports Stuff Substack. He’s the bestselling author of 15 books, and the founder/CEO of Gold Note Records. Alan lives in Chicago, where he writes, makes music, and consumes and creates way too much Bears content. You can visit him at http://www.AlanGoldsher.com and http://x.com/AlanGoldsher.

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