Bear Digest

Where Chicago Bears could use free agent help most even after the draft

The Bears are lacking any kind of experienced depth at tackle and even if they draft tackles it wouldn't be surprising if they picked up a veteran for support.
Gene Chamberlain|
The Bears have had experienced backup tackles for several years, like Larry Borom, but this advantage is now lacking in their reserves.
The Bears have had experienced backup tackles for several years, like Larry Borom, but this advantage is now lacking in their reserves. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

In each season Ryan Poles has been Chicago Bears general manager, the offensive line received an extra layer of security.

They've needed it and more, as 30 changes of the starting offensive line over three seasons says. No doubt a lack of congruity resulted from so much change in a 51-game stretch, but when the team has insufficient starting talent on the line, anyone brought in as backup help isn't going to provide much.

Still, they made the effort and last year a veteran they brought in actually wound up starting almost all the games and playing 1,005 snaps. That was Matt Pryor, mostly at right guard.

The Bears have brought in more offensive linemen for 30 visits than any other position even after they replaced three starters and they'll need to draft some of these or other linemen because their stock of replacements still looks depleted.

They're better set at guard and center because they have some experience in Ryan Bates, Bill Murray, Chris Glaser, Jordan McFadden and Doug Kramer, although Murray's experience is very slight, McFadden's 148 total plays at guard and Kramer's mostly at fullback.

They have Joshua Miles at tackle and he had 19 plays of offense after coming into the league in 2019.

Last year, they had Larry Borom and Jake Curhan as backup tackles besides Kiran Amegadjie, and both had starting experience. They now lack this in any real amount at the position.

Even if they devote a couple of their seven draft picks this year to tackles, the amount of experience they can rely on there is limited unless they want to do what Kansas City did and force aging Joe Thuney to slide out to tackle.

It's why Poles could very well look to add a tackle in free agency.

While the salary cap looms as an issue with the Bears down to $2.25 million available in effective cap space according to Overthecap.com, one of the great things about the cap is how it doesn't go up much or even at all if you're adding players at the bottom end of the pay spectrum, or $1.03 to $1.1 million.

Bringing in drafted rookies sounds great and has long-term benefits but when a starter goes down in the first five or six weeks of the season, how much confidence can anyone have in their ability to get the job done adequately.

Here's what's out there in free agency at tackle.

Joseph Noteboom

The Rams free agent is 29 years old, made 35 starts and 71 games played, and Spotrac.com put his market value at an affordable $1.88 million a year after he'd been making $13.3 million a year. He started four games last season.

Tyron Smith

A Jets free agent, he's long of tooth at 34 and with 14 years experience. He's probably too costly for this endeavor at a projected $7.48 million according to Spotrac. An all-time great and Bears are probably looking on the cheap end because of their cap situation.

Jedrick Mills

A player in his prime, who turns 26 this week, with a projected $2.2 million value after he was making $4.9 million a year. He started 57 games ver the last five seasons. Knee injuries the last two years shortened his season to 13 total games played but did not include a torn ACL.

George Fant

More of a right tackle specifically at age 32, he made $4.5 million for the Seahawks last year and has played for the Jets and Texans, as well. He has 75 career starts and went out with a knee injury last year.

Chukwuma Okorafor

The former Steelers starter is projected at $2.6 million after six seasons. At the age of 27, he was making $4 million last year and played just one game for the Patriots before suffering what was reported as a back injury and going on the reserve/left squad list. The last sentence is a red flag in deep red.

D.J. Humphries

The former Pro Bowl player was benched by the Chiefs in he playoffs, as Thuney was moved to tackle. He's 31 and is projected at a very affordable $1.3 million by Spotrac after he was making just $2 million for last year.

Andrus Peat

A 31-year-old who has mostly been a guard but can play tackle, he worked with Bears offensive line coach Dan Roushar in the past at New Orleans. He is projected at $1.35 million after making only $2 million last year with the Raiders and starting one game there. He made three Pro Bowls playing for Roushar.

Olisaemeka Udoh

A former Vikings starter at guard, he has 19 starts in 57 games and played last season with New Orleans as a backup.

David Quessenberry

The 34-year-old former Vikings free agent has started 30 of the 84 games he played in seven seasons with the Texans, Titans and Bills. He has been a backup for the last four seasons with Buffalo and the Vikings and is projected at $2.1 million after making $1.88 million last year.

Isaiah Wynn

At 28, he made $1.88 million last year with the Dolphins and appeared in six games with three starts. He played in seven games the previous year. With New England between 2019-22 he made 40 starts. A quad injury in 2023 seemed to linger on and he was fighting back from it still last year.

Michael Dunn

A former Browns backup tackle who is 30 and started nine games in five seasons, he is projected at $1.6 million after making just $1.38 million last year. He has been in for more than 171 offensive plays in a season only once.

Andre Dillard

The 29-year-old former Packers tackle who made $1.12 million last year and is projected at $2.9 million for this year. He was in for only 13 plays last year. Initially he was an Eagles backup who started nine games in three years, started 10 games for the Titans in 2023.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.