Chicago Bears: 5 veteran free agents the team could still target
One of these Running Backs
I originally wanted the Chicago Bears to add a quarterback like DeShone Kizer or even Blake Bortles to the roster. Neither of these two is great, but with the injury history of both Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky there is always the chance that the third-string quarterback could see playing time. Do you have faith in Tyler Bray? I do not. The problem is, neither of these two would likely last long on a practice squad and I do not see the Bears keeping three quarterbacks active.
Instead of quarterback, I think adding a third-string running back is more important since Tarik Cohen is the guy to backup David Montgomery and I do not have faith in Ryan Nall long-term. One of these three would be a huge upgrade behind Montgomery.
Devonta Freeman
Devonta Freeman recently turned down a contract with the Seattle Seahawks that would have seen him earning a potential of $4 million. Not sure what Freeman believes he is worth, but with the current running back situation in the NFL, I cannot imagine he will see much more.
That said, if he were to come to Chicago it would be fantastic. Freeman has had plenty of injuries over the years. He has only played 16 games in one of his six seasons in the NFL. Freeman had a down year in 2019 and only averaged 3.6 yards per carry. His career average is 4.2 yards per carry though and would fit in Matt Nagy’s system well.
Lamar Miller
No one seems to be talking about Lamar Miller. Personally, I do not understand it. I know he is coming off a bad knee injury, but the injury took place in August. He should be good to go by the start of the season and would benefit from a decreased role this year.
Miller is not elite, but he is consistent. He has averaged 4.0 yards or more per carry in all but one season. He also has some receiving capabilities. Miller would not be my top choice, but if Pace could sign him for dirt cheap I would be on board.
Carlos Hyde
Reports are now that the Seahawks missed out on Devonta Freeman, Carlos Hyde is on their radar. What if the Chicago Bears targeted him instead? Hyde has not been shown enough love in the NFL in my opinion. He had a successful season with the Texans last year and this could be one reason Pace cannot lock him in.
If I am Hyde, I am going to a team that lacks depth but also has playoff aspirations. Chicago could be that team. In 2019, Hyde averaged 4.4 yards per carry and gained over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. He will not have that type of success in Chicago unless Montgomery goes down, but having him as a backup would make me feel more comfortable with the team’s situation.
Next. Five Bears who have lost most from virtual offseason. dark
Final Thoughts:
For me, I want to see the Bears add at least one more offensive lineman who has some serious upside. I would love to see Jason Peters in a Bears uniform for a year or two and risk Germain Ifedi at right guard. I would also like the idea of a depth piece at inside linebacker who has more experience than the two current backups. Finally, the team needs another running back to lean on. That said, even adding one of these five would make me a happy Bears fan.