3 Bears players who shouldn't be back in 2024, and 3 that should

In the coming weeks, we are going to find out a lot about the Chicago Bears and how they rank their offseason priorities.

General manager Ryan Poles faces maybe his most intense offseason yet with the Bears, with some crucial decisions at hand; decisions that could alter the state of this franchise for years to come. And that's saying something, as Poles has already had his fair share of significant decisions to make in a short time period.

While we know what decision is at the very top of those key topics, there are several players whose futures need to be decided. Some are free agents, while others may just be on their way out one way or another.

Which players should the Bears definitely part with this offseason, and who should return for 2024? Let's start with three that shouldn't be back, and transition to three key names the Bears must bring back next season.

1. Justin Jones, DT

Veteran defensive tackle Justin Jones sure knows how to grab the hearts of Bears fans. He's great with the media and loves to dog on Green Bay. So, naturally, the fans are going to gravitate toward him.

However, his play on the field has been up and down. One of the things I saw all season long was how the defensive line seemed to shift when Jones sat on the bench and Chicago brought in rookie Gervon Dexter.

The Bears were much better against the run with Dexter on the field. In fact, you could argue Jones as being the weakest link against the run on an otherwise-great run defense. Jones is entering free agency and the Bears should be ready to give the job over to Dexter while also adding more talent via the draft.