The Chicago Bears entered this offseason with a clear set of goals. First, nail the head coaching hire. Time will tell what Ben Johnson is able to do, but for now, Bears fans haven't been this excited about a head coach since Mike Ditka. Goals two and three are to beef up the offensive line in front of Caleb Williams, and to find players who can get to the opposing team's quarterback.
With free agency beginning on March 12 and the draft starting on Apr. 24, it won't be long now until the Bears can begin making moves to meet those goals. Thankfully, the team has nearly $75 million in cap space, which is the fourth-highest total in the league, and a solid war chest of draft picks to do it.
Today we're focusing on free agency, since a) that starts first, and b) the Bears' draft choices will largely be informed by which positions they're able to strengthen in free agency. Sign two or three offensive linemen and maybe those first few picks are used for defense or even a new running back. Sign an edge rusher and a defensive tackle and suddenly the draft priorities shift to finding young offensive linemen to complement Darnell Wright.
Every team enters free agency with their top targets in mind, and the Bears are no exception. By ponying up for Ben Johnson, team ownership made it clear that mediocrity will no longer be tolerated, so don't expect general manager Ryan Poles to be shopping in the bargain bin as he sometimes has in the past.
Here are three players that should be at or near the top of his wish list.
3. Drew Dalman — Atlanta Falcons center
The Bears have struggled to find a quality starting center since Olin Kreutz retired in 2011. It's time to change that. Coleman Shelton was durable last year, which is more than we can say for most of the Chicago offensive line, but his play was inconsistent. He's also a free agent, and the Bears would be smart to look for an upgrade rather than bring him back.
Drew Dalman is the best free agent center on the market. He's been the definition of solid in his four years with the Falcons, and given Atlanta's tenuous cap situation, will likely be looking for a new home this spring.
Pro Football Focus rates Dalman as one of the best run-blocking centers in the NFL, a quality the Bears could sure use after ranking 24th in the league in rushing yards last season. He's also only 26, which is appealing as he still has room to grow as a player. Too often we've seen NFL teams bestow big free agent contracts on players whose best days are behind them. Dalman's is ahead of him, especially if he gets to work with Ben Johnson, who got the most out of his offensive line in Detroit.
If there's any hesitation to sign Dalman, it should be for his availability, which has taken a hit as he's battled ankle injuries the last two years. The market for centers is thin though, and unless the Bears want to entrust an unproven rookie or a career journeyman with snapping the ball to Caleb Williams, Dalman is the best way to go.
2. Chase Young — New Orleans Saints edge rusher
The Bears need pass rushing help to complement Montez Sweat, and what better way to do that than to reunite him with his old Washington teammate Chase Young? The former No. 2 overall pick is one of the most physically imposing edge rushers in the game, and though his production hasn't quite lived up to his early-career hype, he seems like a guy that would be better in a stable situation.
Young has played for three teams in the past two seasons. He was great in Super Bowl LVIII for the 49ers, then put up 5.5 sacks last year for a Saints team that was a mess for most of the year. He did that partly under Dennis Allen, who is now the Bears defensive coordinator. Adding fuel to the Young-to-Chicago fire is the fact that the Bears just recently released DeMarcus Walker, ostensibly because he didn't fit Allen's vision for his new defense. We already know that Young does.
The Bears have been linked to mega trades for a top edge rusher such as Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons or Maxx Crosby. All three are incredibly productive players, but each one would be prohibitively expensive, with the starting price likely being two first-round picks. The Bears have other needs too, so that could be a tough pill to swallow. Chicago has the cap space to easily sign Young and have room for other free agents, and they wouldn't have to give up any draft capital to get him.
1.Trey Smith — Kansas City Chiefs guard
We've saved the biggest target for last. Trey Smith is going to be one of the most sought-after free agents in the league for his age (25), durability (he's missed one game in four years) and role in protecting Patrick Mahomes. Nobody needs him more than the Bears.
Teven Jenkins appears to be all but gone, and Nate Davis was a complete disaster. The Bears need someone they can count on to be a rock-solid interior line force week in and week out. Smith is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and is exactly that. He's a plus in the run game and in pass protection and would anchor the Bears' line for years to come.
The Chiefs prioritized signing Chris Jones last year, and that decision, though the right one, ultimately cost them L'Jarius Sneed. They also locked down starting center Creed Humphrey to a long-term deal. They'll still be feeling the trickle-down effects of those moves this offseason, as they have virtually no cap space to work with as of now. It's hard to see how they can make a Smith signing work financially, which is in step with Nate Taylor of The Athletic reporting last week that general manager Brett Veach is not expected to use the franchise or transition tag on Smith.
The competition for Smith's services will be fierce, but just as the Bears spared no expense in signing Ben Johnson, they should do the same to protect Caleb Williams. This is a move that could help the offense take an instant leap.