Chicago Bears: 5 Overlooked free agents Ryan Pace needs to sign

Ereck Flowers – OT/OG

The final area of concern that Ryan Pace absolutely must address in free agency is the offensive line. It would have been great if the Bears could have found a way to trade for five-time Pro Bowler Trai Turner. It would also be great if the Redskins were not rumored to be tagging Brandon Scherff.

A few other names have recently hit the rumor mill lately. The Eagles are going to allow Jason Peters to test free agency. Peters is an elite left tackle who is getting up there in years. He will be 38 this year but has an unbelievable 16-year career history. Would Pace think about bringing him in on a short-term deal? How much would that cost though is the question?

Trent Williams was in the rumor mill during the trade deadline. He did not play a single snap last season and the Redskins have given him permission to seek out a trade. Ryan Pace should at least call to see what the seven-time Pro Bowler would cost in draft capital, but he is owed $14.5 million in 2020 and is a free agent in 2021.

Instead of trading for Williams, the Chicago Bears should look to add a different player from Washinton. Ereck Flowers is an offensive tackle who ended up playing left guard for Washington in 2019. Flowers is a former first-round draft pick of the New York Giants. The Giants picked him ninth overall in 2015.

Flowers’ NFL draft profile in 2015 talks about how he struggles as a pass blocker on the edge, but how he is a big, powerful man who excels at run blocking. His profile also mentions how he has all of the traits of an offensive tackle, but could wind up having more success as a guard. Pace should love Flowers’ versatility and the team should bring him in to take over the right guard position or maybe see if he should play left guard and move James Daniels over to the right side.

Flowers should not cost too much either. He played 100 percent of Washington’s offensive snaps last season. He only had four penalties too. Coming off a one-year, $3.25 million dollar contract, the Bears should be able to lock Flowers up for a few years and for not too much money. He is only going to be 26 this season. Pace should try to lock him up for three years and around $15 million dollars.

Adding some of these under the radar free agents could be exactly what the Bears need to do to push themselves over the hump this year. Pace needs to hit on a few of these and I think these are a few of the guys who could pan out.