5 quality free agents still available for the Chicago Bears
By Evan Bruner
Chicago Bears free agent option No. 4: JC Tretter, OL
The Bears selected a trove of offensive linemen in the final rounds of the 2022 draft. Though Poles has a keen eye for offensive line talent, they are still late-round picks. They will likely need some time before they are ready to go up against NFL competition. This is why bringing in a proven veteran like JC Tretter could be an immediate upgrade.
The case for signing Tretter
The Bears’ offensive line is filled with unknowns on both the interior and exterior. Most notably, the center position. Sam Mustipher received a 51.8 PFF grade in 2021, which ranked 36th out of any center that took over 240 snaps. Tretter, on the other hand, earned a 78.7 grade, which was the sixth-best at the position. It’s hard to argue that adding Tretter would be a pretty significant upgrade, especially considering how good he is as a pass blocker.
The case against signing Tretter
Tretter is coming off a season in which he was among the best in the league at his position. He probably isn’t the best candidate for a team-friendly contract. After all, a player of Tretter’s caliber still on the market wouldn’t make sense unless he asked for more money than teams were willing to pay him. At 31, Tretter isn’t considered old, but he also isn’t young either. A center north of 30 may not fit the timeline for a team that is building for the future.