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

The Bears must keep Darnell Mooney

I've gone back and forth on this one, but if the team is keeping Justin Fields, then it makes a whole lot of sense to keep Darnell Mooney. The one caveat to this decision, though, is that Mooney doesn't demand too much money.

It should be relatively simple for Chicago to keep him, especially coming off a down year. But, the Bears should keep him on board for a couple of reasons. First, it makes sense just in case the cards don't fall the way some hope for in the draft. If the Bears, for some reason, don't end up with a first-round wide receiver, then they have a legitimate WR2 in Mooney who already has a great relationship with Fields and is established within this locker room.

Remember, free agency opens up over a month before draft weekend.

On the flip side, Mooney may also wind up being the team's WR3 if the Bears find themselves drafting a guy like Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or another first-round talent at the position. An embarrassment of riches is never a bad thing, and it's something the Bears haven't had at the wide receiver position in a very long time.

We know Mooney is beloved in Chicago and within the locker room. We know he has a firm foundation built with Fields. It only makes sense for the two sides to come together on a fair deal.