Plenty of talent remains for Chicago Bears in NFL free agency as new league year begins

The Chicago Bears have gone dormant after a busy start to NFL free agency, but plenty of talent remains unsigned as the new league year is set to begin.

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After a furious start to 2025 NFL free agency for the Chicago Bears, one that included the additions of Drew Dalman, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Grady Jarrett, it came as no surprise that GM Ryan Poles took Day 2 off.

The Bears didn't agree to terms with any players on Tuesday, and as the 2025 NFL league year is set to begin at 4 p.m. EST on Wednesday, plenty of talented veterans remain unsigned.

Whether Chicago decides to stay put or continue adding salaries to its payroll remains to be seen, but there are a handful of players whom Poles and his front office should at least consider, especially on offense.

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Amari Cooper, WR

Cooper is the top free agent who's still looking for work. While his age, 30, is likely working against him, he isn't ancient in wide receiver years. Players like Davante Adams and DeAndre Hopkins have already signed lucrative deals, and they're both two years older than Cooper.

What's probably hurting Cooper the most is how ineffective he was with the Bills last season. He looked like a player who lost a step, but that could simply be the result of a midseason trade and all that comes with it.

Still, the Bears need a WR3, and Cooper's veteran experience would be an added plus to the locker room.

Cooper had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Browns in 2022 and 2023, including a career-high 1,250 yards during his last full season in Cleveland. He regressed to just 547 yards between the Browns and Bills last year, but he's a safe projection for a bounce-back year in 2025.

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J.K. Dobbins, RB

Dobbins will always be considered an injury risk, which is why signing him to a one-year deal is all reward. He won't command top dollar and is probably looking at a pay day that's around $5 million or less for 2025.

Dobbins was relatively healthy last season and finished his first year with the Los Angeles Chargers with 195 carries for 905 yards and nine touchdowns. Said another way, he was better than D'Andre Swift.

Dobbins averaged 4.6 yards per carry; he was efficient and effective.

If the Bears don't intend on selecting a running back in the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, they should give Dobbins some serious consideration.

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Tyler Lockett, WR

Much like Cooper, Lockett's market is supressed by the prsesumption that he's lost a step at 32 years old. And, maybe it's true. But, again, for a team like the Bears who need a WR3 (not a first or second read in the passing game), Lockett makes a ton of sense on a one-year deal.

Chicago wants to elevate the culture inside the locker room this season, and Lockett is an elite veteran to help accomplish that goal. Plus, he's a savvy route-runner whose knack for making plays has been established throughout his 10-year career.

The emergence of Jaxson Smith-Njigba bumped Lockett's targets to his lowest single-season total since 2018, resulting in the third-worst yardage output of his career.

Lockett is another one-year deal candidate.

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