4 Chicago Bears free agent targets if money was no object

1. Saquon Barkley would be the best Bears running back since Matt Forte

Over the weekend, rumors abounded that Giants running back Saquon Barkley and the Bears are on a collision course, something most Bears fans did not see coming when the offseason began. Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are still under contract and are, at the very least, a solid backfield already, but the thought of adding a back as dynamic as Barkley to the team is tantalizing.

There are mixed feelings out there on whether the Bears should pursue the former Nittany Lion, though most concerns have nothing to do with Barkley's ability. The NFL as a whole has made running back an afterthought in team construction, and the prevailing wisdom around the league is that you shouldn't commit anything substantial to a back when quality runners can be had for peanuts on the open market.

Barkley is not your typical running back, and in this exercise, money is no object, so bringing him to Chicago is a no-brainer. Don't let last year's numbers fool you. Daniel Jones missed most of the season, and the Giants had very limited skill position talent, meaning Barkley received the lion's share of attention from opposing defenses every single week.

"Quadzilla" has been one of the most feared runners in the league during his career, a perpetual threat to go the distance whenever he takes a handoff, but he's also a threat in the receiving game. Striking the 2020 season, when he tore his ACL against the Bears in Week 2, Barkley has averaged over 57 receptions per season. His presence would take pressure off Caleb Williams, and he could be a great mentor to the young quarterback, having dealt with outsized expectations as a high draft pick in a big market himself.

The presence of D'Onta Foreman last season showed that there's room for three runners in Chicago's backfield. Barkley wouldn't have to endure the beating he did in New York, where he averaged nearly 300 touches per season, and the Bears could keep defenses off balance by sprinkling in Herbert and Johnson. With Justin Fields almost surely gone, the Bears will have a difficult time staying ranked in the top five in total rushing, but signing Barkley would ensure that they don't slip very far.