The Chicago Bears roster looks pretty good right now. Ryan Poles has turned this thing around fairly quickly. He told us to be patient and honestly, not many fans actually listened. However, to set this team up the way he has in only three years is much faster than I thought it would take. He wanted to build through the draft and he's been doing that since 2022. He used a little luck in 2023 when he landed the top pick in the draft to expand on the team even more and with only four picks left in the 2024 NFL Draft, he still found a way to come away with at least three Day 1 playmakers.
The future of this organization, along with Poles' future, hangs on the fact that Caleb Williams needs to hit. If Williams ends up being a bust, then Poles and this regime are likely to be out of jobs almost as quickly as they turned the team around on paper. I don't expect that to happen, he's going to at least be serviceable. However, if he hits anywhere close to his ceiling, then the Bears will have finally found a quarterback. It only took them over a century to do so.
The Chicago Bears could add a free agent many fans would be against
Now, let's not count our chickens before they hatch. Plus, this team still has some flaws that need to be corrected. Luckily, Poles has some money to play with still and there are a few free agents available who can help the team become even stronger.
The Chicago Bears could add Linval Joseph
When we look at the defensive roster of the Chicago Bears, the biggest area of concern is the defensive line. They have an elite defensive end in Montez Sweat. They have an up-and-comer in Gervon Dexter. They drafted a prospect this year in Austin Booker who has great upside as a sack specialist. Andrew Billings came in on a one-year deal and earned himself a multi-year extension. Even with all those positives, the defensive line needs help. It needs depth. Linval Joseph can give them that depth.
Many fans are going to find this move controversial because Joseph is going to be 36 years old this season. He plays a position that doesn't need as much of an upgrade as the 3-technique. Even so, he is familiar with new defensive coordinator Eric Washington. Joseph signed with the Bills last year on a one-year deal worth up to $3.7 million due to incentives. He played in seven games, recorded one sack, and finished with 12 combined tackles.
Joseph could be the cheap veteran that Poles signs to help this team come together. He has had a very successful career that includes two Pro Bowl appearances, and six playoff appearances including a Super Bowl victory over the Patriots in 2011. He'd make the perfect addition to this team.
The Chicago Bears could use the presence of Ryan Tannehill
This move would make many Chicago Bears fans mad. Especially those who are Tyson Bagent truthers. Right now, Caleb Williams is the clear-cut starter heading into the camp portion of the offseason. Bagent is likely QB2 and behind them is Brett Rypien.
Many view Rypien as the guy who is here to help bring the two young quarterbacks along faster. However, in reality, Rypien was only on the Seahawks' roster for a little over a month last season. He was waived by the Rams in November. Then the Seahawks immediately added him, but he was with the Jets in December. His knowledge of Shane Waldron's offense is pretty minimal.
With the way the roster is built, I would hate to count on Tyson Bagent should anything happen to Caleb Williams. I think Bagent is a good developmental quarterback, but he isn't the future of this team and I saw enough of him last season to know he's not helping the team win multiple games should Williams go down with an injury. This is why Ryan Poles should call Ryan Tannehill and see how much he wants to come to be the backup in Chicago.
Tannehill will be 36 this season and has had an up-and-down career. He has spent his entire career in the AFC playing for both the Dolphins and Titans. Maybe he should consider coming to the NFC and being on a roster that has two elite receivers in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen — not to mention an elite WR prospect in Rome Odunze.
This move is likely to cost the team a decent amount of their remaining cap space but having a solid backup quarterback in Tannehill could be the difference in making the playoffs or even a Super Bowl run.
The Chicago Bears could find royal depth at the tackle position
There are probably as many Larry Borom truthers out there as there are Tyson Bagent truthers. If the Chicago Bears really want to shake things up, signing former Chiefs tackle Prince Tega Wanogho to a one-year deal could be the answer. I know the Bears drafted Kiran Amegadjie in the third round, but he's dealing with an injury that could keep him off the field until the start of training camp.
Larry Borom showed promise early on in his career, but he has regressed to the point of what looks like no return now. Although Wanogho isn't some elite free agent, Ryan Poles should be very familiar with him seeing he was the Executive Director of Player Personnel in 2021 when the Chiefs signed him. In 2020, Ian Cunningham was Assistant Director of Player Personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles — the team that drafted Wanogho that year in the sixth round.
With the familiarity of both Cunningham and Poles, Wanogho seems like the perfect addition to the Bears roster if it looks like Amegadjie is going to miss some valuable time this offseason. He's a better run blocker than a pass blocker, but he should be a cheap free-agent addition who can probably beat out Borom this offseason.