Bears should pursue free agent playmaker to complement Ben Johnson's offense

Going into the 2026 NFL season, the Chicago Bears will be without two key offensive starters from a season ago.

Center Drew Dalman informed the team that he is retiring at age 27, leaving a huge hole in the middle of the offensive line, while the team also traded wide receiver DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick to the Buffalo Bills for a 2026 second-round pick. Dalman didn’t miss a single offensive snap all season, and Moore played the most offensive snaps other than the starting offensive line and quarterback Caleb Williams. The Bears will miss both of them, but the team must move on and find replacements quickly.

There are fewer quality options at center, and general manager Ryan Poles must be strategic with how he addresses the position. There is more of a variety at wide receiver, and the Bears would need someone to play behind Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III as the No. 3 receiver in coach Ben Johnson’s offense. Of course, there is still Colston Loveland, who led the team in receiving yards last season, and veteran Cole Kmet.

Bears might have an option in free agent to address the wide receiver position

A player that would be intriguing in Johnson’s offense is Rams receiver Tutu Atwell. The 26-year-old and former second-round draft pick from Louisville in 2021 is set to hit free agency.

Atwell signed a one-year, $10 million deal going into the 2025 season, but it was ultimately a disappointing one for the speed receiver, having only played in 10 games and registering six receptions on 15 targets for 192 yards and one touchdown. A hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve, and he was a healthy scratch in the playoffs.

Coach Sean McVay explained in his end-of-season news conference that the vision for the offense changed over the course of the year, and the team leaned more into 13 personnel (one running back and three tight ends), which naturally eliminates a receiver from playing. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams were the primary receivers all season.

When Atwell was at his best, he played in all 17 games in the 2024 season. He also had 42 receptions on 62 targets for 562 yards. McVay clearly saw enough that year that he wanted Atwell to get another opportunity in his offense.

Atwell’s next opportunity could be in Chicago, and the expectation for any receiver coming in isn’t to replace what Moore did for the Bears. Rather, Poles needs to add another pass-catching target who complements everyone in the offense.

What Atwell does have is elite speed. He reportedly ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day. Just having him on the field forces defenses to respect the deep ball, which could open up the middle-of-the-field route concepts that Johnson likes to utilize.

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound receiver also has been a kick and punt returner in his NFL career. Devin Duvernay held those responsibilities last season, but he is set to hit free agency. Olamide Zaccheaus finished sixth on the team in receiving yards last season, but he needs a new contract as well.

Pro Football Focus has Atwell for a projected contract of one-year, $2 million.

If that’s all it takes to acquire the 26-year-old receiver, then the Bears should give Atwell a shot to work with one of the more creative offensive play-callers in the NFL.