To start the NFL's free agency period, the Chicago Bears opted not to make any splashes. Instead, general manager Ryan Poles has been far more methodical in his approach.
Maybe the biggest name Poles brought in was former Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant. But now that both Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker have signed elsewhere, the Bears officially need another starting safety to go alongside their newcomer.
Although not a household name, there's one player who makes a lot of sense for the Bears to bring in, at least on the premise of depth and competition: former New Orleans Saints safety Ugo Amadi.
Dennis Allen and safety Ugo Amadi are a Chicago Bears free agency pairing waiting to happen
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was, of course, previously with the New Orleans Saints for quite some time. And, for the last three seasons, that's where Amadi spent his time.
Over the course of the 2024 season, Amadi enjoyed his best year yet, playing for Allen. He has never been a known starter, but during that season, Amadi made five starts in 11 games and was on the field for 69 percent of defensive snaps.
The 28-year-old excelled in the areas a strong safety would be expected to hold down, too. He was much better against the run than he was in coverage, proving he's valuable closer to the line of scrimmage. That season, Amadi notched his only 2.0 career sacks to go with seven pass breakups and 65 total tackles.
Despite never being a starter in the NFL, Amadi has been a valuable depth piece and someone who can step in and deliver a string of good games when called upon. And, in the right system (hello, Dennis Allen), he is a very good player.
I would even argue he's underrated.
Should the Bears pursue Amadi, he'd fit well with the skill set of Bryant. With Bryant more of a free safety type and with prowess against the pass, Amadi could venture closer to the line of scrimmage on occasion and be a huge asset in backing up the run defense.
If the Bears went out and drafted a safety on Day 2, at the latest, then a veteran like Amadi would be a phenomenal asset to this roster. Whether the Bears viewed their rookie as an immediate starter or not, Amadi's presence and his familiarity with Dennis Allen's defense would be big.
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Finally, with Chicago having less-than-ideal finances at the moment, Amadi would come cheap. The Bears' safety room was essentially cleaned out and needs to be rebuilt. Why not bring in a guy who knows Allen well?