Should Chicago Bears sign free agent OL Evan Brown?
The Chicago Bears have plenty of cap space, but just as many holes. They will need to spend on the offensive line. One interesting free agent name to keep an eye on is Evan Brown, formerly on the Detroit Lions.
Should Chicago Bears sign free agent Evan Brown?
Evan Brown was a UDFA in 2019. He caught on with the Detroit Lions in 2020 and has spent the past three seasons with the team. In 2021, he ended up starting most of the season at center because of an injury to Fran Ragnow.
He did fine overall but did not do enough to get a commitment to start. Still, after playing both guard and center over the first four weeks of 2022, he eventually situated himself into the right guard role for the remainder of the season. It is obviously not just his insertion into the lineup, but the Lions went 6-3 after he took over as the full-time starter.
So, Brown is just 26 years old, which is the age in which the Chicago Bears want to invest in free agents. He has about a season of starting at center, and a season of starting at guard. As he got more comfortable starting last season, the Lions’ offensive line got better and better.
Is Evan Brown just starting to find his way, and could he be a gem of a free-agent deal?
Two questions may prevent the Chicago Bears from having a legitimate interest. First, while they do have a hole at center, it does appear as though Evan Brown is better at guard, and center is just a nice feature. Beyond that, he did not play left guard, which is where the Chicago Bears would need him.
So, he was best at right guard, and while he could probably play left guard or center if needed, it is not a perfect fit. Beyond that, his story comes off a bit similar to Lucas Patrick. The UDFA from the rival team who played guard and center. An injury thrust him into the lineup and he did well. Still, there are questions about his full-time transition, and whether he can be a legitimate starter moving forward.
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With Patrick, it did not work, although injuries added to the issue. Would adding someone like Evan Brown, with a similar profile change the outcome?
If they are going to add him as a depth solution with his swing ability that is fine, but can they pay him and expect him to be a starter? That is risking a bit more.