Chicago Bears 5 biggest needs following first wave of free agency

Chicago Bears (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Bears, Jaylon Johnson
Chicago Bears – Credit: Detroit Free Press /

Cornerback is now a need after the Chicago Bears released Kyle Fuller

To everybody’s surprise, the Chicago Bears released Kyle Fuller saving $11 million in cap space. This immediately created a massive hole at cornerback as the Bears virtually have no veteran experience at the position. The Bears immediately addressed it though signing veteran Desmond Trufant to be a placeholder.

Having Jaylon Johnson, with his shoulder concerns, and Trufant, with his injury history, as the starting cornerbacks is worrisome. The Bears definitely need at least solid depth or draft their future starting cornerback to take over for Trufant eventually. It doesn’t help either that the Bears may need a slot cornerback as well.

Draft:

  • Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
  • Greg Newsome II, Northwestern
  • Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State
  • Eric Stokes, Georgia
  • Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse

Free Agency:

  • A.J. Bouye, Denver Broncos
  • Malcolm Butler, Tennessee Titans
  • Casey Heyward, Los Angeles Chargers
  • Richard Sherman, San Francisco 49ers
  • Steven Nelson, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Bears played it smart here as well. They immediately got a safe, proven veteran in Trufant to replace Fuller. They have unproven, promising depth in Kindle Vildor and Tre Roberson. They just need more safety given the injury history of the two starters now. They need to continue to add competition and depth.