Chicago Bears Free Agent Profiles: Corey Wootton

Corey Wootton

Sep 22, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) fumbles the ball as he runs from Chicago Bears defensive end Corey Wootton (98) during the second half at Heinz Field. The Bears won the game, 40-23. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

2013 Cap Hit: $1.4 Million

2013 Grade: Wootton pulled a -9.6 from ProFootball Focus, basically playing out of position all of last season.  He had 3.5 sacks with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery to go along with 35 tackles, a career high .

Pros: Wootton is still relatively young and he’s got all the physical tools, at 6’6″ and 270 pounds, to be a consistent pass rusher.  Given a full season in the right position, Wootton should be able to build on his 2012 performance where he racked up 7 sacks.

Cons: Wootton is coming off a minor hip surgery and this coming off a college ACL injury that pushed him down to the 4th round.  Part of me thinks that if it would have “clicked” for Wootton, it would have clicked by now.

Potential suitors: The Cowboys and Rod Marinelli might be cutting DeMarcus Ware, so they could be in the market for a a lower-cost option to rush the passer.    

Bottom Line: I’d like to see the Bears bring back Wootton.  He’s young enough and still a player on the rise.  Don’t count on him being a consistent double digit sack guy or “the man” but he’ll be a solid rotation guy whose versatility will be a big asset to the team.