The Chicago Bears are going to be active this off-season. No team has more cap space, but no team has more holes at this point. One area the team will need to address is offensive tackle. They are more likely to add a right tackle than a left tackle at this point, but either way, they have to add somebody who has a chance to start.
Who are some of the best options for the Chicago Bears in free agency?
7. Should Chicago Bears go after Kaleb McGary?
Kaleb McGary will be interesting to follow this offseason to see how the NFL views him. McGary was a former first-round pick in 2019, going at pick 31. So, he has plenty of pedigree. He was a bit older than your typical rookie so he is going to be 28 this season.
Still, with just four years under him, there is still some upside for what he can become. The first three years had been pretty disappointing for McGary. The Atlanta Falcons even declined to pick up his fifth-year option.
They probably wish that they did, though. McGary had his best season in 2022, and the run-heavy offensive attack seemed to be a perfect fit for his skill set. Now, the Falcons will be seeing him walk in free agency after seeing his best season by far.
There are two ways to look at this. First, he did well blocking for a mobile quarterback in a run-heavy scheme, so he could be best off in an offense like the Chicago Bears. The other thought is that he played well when it was time to get paid, and you do not want to be the person who pays for one good season, only to see him go back to his average ways.
This will either make him an overpay, and a potential disaster or a value signing because nobody trusts him, but the best is yet to come. Which side are you on?
6. Is Jawaan Taylor the best right tackle option available?
If the Chicago Bears land a big-name free agent at right tackle this offseason, the most exciting would have to be Jawaan Taylor. Taylor has been a consistent pass-blocking option, although his run-blocking can go up and down.
Still, Taylor will be just 26 years old next season and is coming off of his best season, as the Jaguars made the playoffs. The run blocking is a concern, and he fell to round two in the NFL draft because he is a bit leaner than you usually see from a tackle.
Still, when you see a 26-year-old tackle who moves well, can pass block, and is coming off of his best season, you see a payday coming.
That may be what prevents the Chicago Bears from signing him. First, the Jaguars are on the cusp of something, and they want to keep him. Beyond that, if anyone sees a bidding war, this is the person. The Chicago Bears have the most cap space and could win a bidding war, but do they want to?
Do they want a group of solid players, or a big fish or two?
5. Will Chicago Bears sign Isaiah Wynn?
Isaiah Wynn is a former first-round pick entering free agency for the first time. The New England Patriots did pick up his fifth-year option, and while he played on that option year last year, the fact that they could not work out a long-term deal shows that he will likely be testing the market.
The Patriots initially drafted him to be their left tackle, but they wound up moving him to right tackle last season. Wynn has even played guard at times. Coming into the NFL draft one of the questions with Wynn was his reach, and whether he would be better at guard.
Wynn has held his own at tackle, but the Chicago Bears could be signing him to start at both left guard and right tackle. He has experience at both.
A 26-year-old former first-round pick with experience at both positions the Chicago Bears need to address will probably be on their radar. He has not lived up to expectations with the New England Patriots, but his thoughts were that he would be a franchise left tackle. He is not that, and that may help the price tag stay reasonable.
He is not a franchise changer, but he is a reliable blocker and a five-year NFL starter. That is worth exploring the fit in free agency.
4. Can Chicago Bears get a deal with Mike McGlinchey
If the Chicago Bears like the pedigree of a former first-round pick they will love Mike McGlinchey. McGlinchey went just two picks after the team drafted Roquan Smith. So, maybe the Bears trade Smith, then turn around and pay McGlinchey the deal that he would have gotten.
This could be a great deal for the Chicago Bears when you consider that McGlinchey will probably sign for less than the Baltimore Ravens just gave to Roquan Smith. So, the Bears could still sign a top 10 pick from that draft, it could be cheaper than Roquan Smith, and it could be right tackle, a much bigger position of need than linebacker.
The questions with McGlinchey come in pass protection, but the reality is that he usually is only exposed in big games against stars like Micah Parsons. This will happen when you are playing in big games, but at least McGlinchey is good enough to keep the 49ers going to those big games. The Chicago Bears would love if their problem was their right tackle can only help them get to the NFC championship.
Beyond that, McGlinchey is a plus in the run game. He executes the zone-blocking system the 49ers love, and his movement skills would be a great fit with Justin Fields at quarterback.
49ers fans seem annoyed with McGlinchey because he did not live up to his top-10 reputation, but at the right price, this is a talented offensive lineman and a big upgrade for the Bears.
3. Is George Fant a bandaid fix for the Chicago Bears
George Fant is not quite as young as some of these players testing free agency for the first time. Fant hit free agency in 2020 after three years with the Seattle Seahawks. He spent the last three years with the New York Jets and is hoping to find another payday this spring.
Fant is not the big-name starter, and he will be 31 this season. Still, he is a reliable starter, if the Bears do miss out on the big names, or they do not want to overpay.
Fant has started at both right and left tackle. In 2020, he played 689 snaps at right tackle, and 139 on the left side. Then, in 2021, he played 840 snaps back on the left side, and 48 snaps at right tackle. Finally, in 2022 he played 309 snaps at right tackle, and 207 snaps at left tackle.
The reality is that while versatility is great, the movement back and forth could not have helped his time with the New York Jets. So, that is why his reputation is now worse in 2023 than it was in 2020. Still, the Chicago Bears could be thinking that if he just sticks to right tackle, they could get more consistent play.
They could sign him for a reasonable deal, and that would not stop them from drafting a long-term option, which is probably not happening signing the other names on this list. It is not the fan’s favorite, but the Chicago Bears may have an interest in George Fant.
2. Will Chicago Bears have an interest in Orlando Brown?
Orlando Brown is in one of the better spots to be in. He is 27 years old, and he just won a Super Bowl. Now, he is set to get paid when the last thing he did was blank the Philadelphia Eagles pass rush in the Super Bowl. Did the grass and Patrick Mahomes help him? Yes, but that will not stop him from cashing in on that huge performance.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been hesitant to commit to him despite trading a first-round pick for him. This could lead to him testing free agency.
Orlando Brown played two years at right tackle with the Ravens, but the past three seasons have been at left tackle. That is because he wanted a left tackle payday. If the Chicago Bears pay him like a left tackle and ask him to play right tackle, he probably would. Still, they could also just play him at left tackle.
This one seems risky, though. He has wanted to cash in for a few years now, and if both Baltimore and Kansas City do not pay him, should you be the team to do it? Will he really live up to his payday when this is what he wanted so badly?
1. Will Kansas City Chiefs let Andrew Wylie walk in free agency?
It is funny to think, but between Orlando Brown, and Andrew Wylie, the Kansas City Chiefs are probably more likely to re-sign Wylie. Some of it comes down to one being much more cost-efficient. Another factor stems from Wylie genuinely coming off as someone who loves playing with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
Still, Orlando Brown is better than Andrew Wylie. Wylie is a gritty blocker, but he is the weak spot on the Chiefs’ line. That sounds harsh to say before saying the Bears should sign him, but he is still a huge upgrade from what the Bears had last season.
Beyond that, Wylie has experience at right guard, and left guard. He moved around a lot before spending his last two seasons at right tackle.
Orlando Brown is the high-risk signing that will cost a lot and may not come through. Andrew Wylie is not going to be an expensive signing and it is hard to see him not living up to his deal. Still, there is no upside that they are signing an All-Pro here. This will have to be factored into their decision.