Five Free Agents the Bears Should Target Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

The Chicago Bears' first wave of free agency has come and gone without any major shakeups to the roster. The long-rumored Maxx Crosby trade never materialized, and Drew Dalman's shocking retirement opened up another hole on Chicago's offensive line, a hole that was filled with an underwhelming trade for center Garrett Bradbury.

However, free agency has no deadline in the offseason, and deals can be reached at any point. The Bears still have several roster needs that require addressing, and they may not want to wait until the 2026 NFL draft before attempting to find a solution. With that said, here are five players still available in free agency who could both fill a need for the Bears while also giving them more flexibility in the upcoming draft.

1. Jadeveon Clowney

The Bears still need an edge rusher, even if it's not Maxx Crosby, and Clowney is arguably the best option available. The former first-overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft never quite lived up to expectations, but he's averaging nearly eight sacks per season over the last three years while playing on some pretty bad defenses.

Aside from his deal with Carolina in 2024 (two years for $20 million), his most recent contracts were each one-year deals for $2.5 million and $3.45 million. At such a low price point, this move seems like a no-brainer if the Bears don't want to go into 2026 hoping for either a rookie to make an immediate impact or for Austin Booker to take a big step forward in his development.

Jadeveon Clowne — Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

2. Joey Bosa

While he didn't exactly stuff the stat sheet, Joey Bosa proved in 2025 that he still has plenty left in the tank. In one year with Buffalo, Bosa racked up 47 pressures, a league-leading five forced fumbles, and earned a 79.3 PFF grade. His salary demands would likely come in higher than Clowney's, but the Bears could easily move money around to accommodate the former third-overall pick, and his presence would be a massive boost to Chicago's pass rush.

3. Cameron Jordan

Saints legend Cam Jordan recently addressed his future in New Orleans, and it's sounding like he wants to test free agency. If he follows through with that plan, the Bears make sense as a perfect fit for the 15-year veteran. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen spent nine years in New Orleans coaching Jordan, and he may prefer the comfort of having familiarity with his coach.

Jordan hasn't missed a game in three years and is coming off an impressive renaissance season of 10.5 sacks and a 76.0 PFF grade, the 17th best grade for all defensive ends. With a projected market value from Spotrac of just $6.8 million, this would be another no-brainer for the Bears if Jordan wants to play for his old coach again.

4. Bobby Wagner

Despite the Bears' $30 million agreement with Devon Bush in free agency, I think they could still use a strong insurance policy at linebacker, and that's what Wagner could be. No, Wagner is no longer the dominant presence he was as a member of the Legion of Boom. However, the future Hall of Famer is still an elite run stopper at the second level, and the Bears need to get much better against the run after two straight years of giving up over 130 rushing yards per game.

Wagner's last three contracts have all been one-year deals worth $9 million, $6.5 million, and $5.5 million. I imagine the Bears could bring him aboard for a similar contract in the $5 million to $7 million range.

5. Taylor Decker

The Bears made some thrifty moves to shore up their left tackle spot after Ozzy Trapilo's injury ended up being even worse than we thought, but will it be enough? Braxton Jones was a shell of himself in 2025 following that brutal leg injury at the end of the 2024 season, and while he was likely still not at 100%, we can't know for sure whether he'll ever return to form. The same goes for Jedrick Wills. The Bears signed the former first-round pick to a one-year deal, but he's coming off a significant injury of his own.

Hoping for the best is rarely a good plan in NFL roster construction, especially on the offensive line. For that reason, I think Taylor Decker should still be a free agency target for Chicago. He's already familiar with Ben Johnson's offense and can be relied upon to deliver one year of above-average play at left tackle, just long enough for Ozzy Trapilo to return. And now that the first wave of free agency has ended, I can't imagine that Decker's contract would break the bank.

1. Jadeveon Clowney

2. Joey Bosa

3. Cameron Jordan

4. Bobby Wagner

5. Taylor Decker

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