4 teams that shouldn't hesitate to sign Christian Wilkins in free agency

2. Chicago Bears

One might wonder why the Chicago Bears, who ranked No. 1 in the league in fewest rushing yards allowed last year, would want to devote significant resources towards a defensive tackle whose calling card is stopping the run. To that I'd say, you can never have enough quality players on the defensive line, and Wilkins brings an ability to get to the quarterback that current Bears defensive tackles Zacch Pickens, Andrew Billings, and Justin Jones simply don't possess.

It's that ability to be a multidimensional wrecking ball that should intrigue Bears head coach Matt Eberflus about Wilkins. The Bears had great success in trading for Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat mid-year, and in locking him into a long-term extension, they showed their commitment to building a winning defense after years of toiling near the bottom of the league.

Wilkins would pair beautifully with Sweat and rookie Gervon Dexter Sr., who really came on strong as the year went on. The Bears are also rumored to be interested in drafting a pass rusher such as Dallas Turner or Jared Verse with the second of their first-round picks this year, which means in less than a year, Chicago's defensive line could go from being one of the league's worst to one of its best.

The Bears have the cap space to comfortably afford Wilkins, even if general manager Ryan Poles re-signs cornerback Jaylon Johnson to an extension in the coming weeks. That's the beauty of being able to select a quarterback with the first pick in the draft, as the Bears are increasingly expected to do with Caleb Williams. It leaves plenty of money to go around to the rest of the roster. Spending some of it on Wilkins is one of the smartest ways Chicago can use their $76 million in cap space.