4 free agents the Chicago Bears should happily let leave
By Ryan Heckman
With NFL Free Agency set to kick off next month, the Chicago Bears will look much different in a couple months’ time
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles might be the closest GM to be playing real-life Madden in recent years.
The Bears own the league’s highest amount of cap space, by more than $30 million above the next-highest team total. Poles gets to go shopping, and he could write a blank check or two if it came down to it.
Before signing other teams’ notable names, though, Poles should enter into the period knowing what he’s going to do with the Bears’ own. There are several names who won’t be back next year, but four, in particular, are ones the Bears have to let walk out the door, plain and simple.
Free agents the Chicago Bears should happily let leave: Dante Pettis, WR
This last season, Dante Pettis totaled the second-most targets (41), receptions (19), receiving yards (245) and receiving touchdowns (3) of his career. Being a second-round pick back in 2018, it’s safe to call him a bust if those numbers are good enough for his second-best pro season.
Pettis was a warm body in Chicago last year, like a few other players on that depth chart. This offseason, the Bears will likely keep Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool, Venus Jones Jr. and Equanimeous St. Brown. The rest, including Pettis, appear headed for the door.
Pettis’ only real value for the Bears came on punt returns last season, where he averaged a career-high 9.1 yards per return. Aside from an occasional strong punt return, Pettis provided the offense nothing.