The Chicago Bears will need to upgrade their roster, and one of the prime areas will be their defensive line. While they hope to get Dayo Odeyingbo healthier and see improvements from Gervon Dexter and Austin Booker, they will also want to dip into the free-agent pool to address this.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report went through perfect landing spots for some well-known free agents. For Denver Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, Kay said that the Chicago Bears would be the best fit.
"At 6'4", 288 pounds, he can line up at both the defensive end and defensive tackle spots. That versatility, coupled with an unstoppable motor, allows him to thrive in whatever role he's tasked with on a game-to-game or even play-by-play basis.Alex Kay
Although the 29-year-old isn't the youngest free agent, he still has plenty of tread left on his tires and shouldn't have any issues continuing to contribute at a high level for the duration of the type of long-term deal he's expected to sign this offseason"
Should the Chicago Bears sign John Franklin-Myers?
As Kay notes, the versatility that Franklin-Myers brings is what should make him a fit for the Bears. Franklin-Myers can play up and down the defensive line and can defend the run against tackles, then slide inside as a speed rusher against interior players.
If you recall, this was actually the original plan for Odeyingbo when the team signed him. He is also a heavier defensive edge rusher, and his best traits are defending the run. However, he could slide inside, the team could bring in Austin Booker, then Odeyingbo, and Dexter would complement Montez Sweat and Booker as a fast foursome.
That obviously did not happen because of Odeyingbo's injury, and the domino effect hurt the team. He will be back, but that is a major injury. He was always a bet on potential and not a sure thing, and the team cannot risk being in the same spot as last year.
If they get great seasons out of both Odeyingbo and Franklin-Myers, that is all the better for the defensive front, as they can rotate, stay fresh, and make life easier for Sweat. The most likely outcome is that only one of the two hits, and it's still smart that they brought in both.
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They need speed along their defensive line, and the versatility goes a long way because they need to upgrade across the board. It does make a lot of sense for the Bears to stay connected to Franklin-Myers through free agency.