5 players that could surprisingly be an option for the Bears in free agency

Tuesday's deadline came and went, and the Chicago Bears did indeed place the franchise tag on cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

However, for fans worried about the tag, they shouldn't be. Ryan Poles has remained steadfast in his stance that the two sides are going to reach a long-term deal.

As for the rest of the league, some notable tags that were handed out include: Mike Evans, Justin Madubuike, L'Jarius Sneed and Tee Higgins.

But, what about the guys who weren't given the tag? Calvin Ridley is one of them, although we're not going to talk about him on this list. There are some guys who would fill a key need for the Bears if Chicago was able to sign them. Let's go through five, in particular.

1. Chris Jones, DT

The Kansas City Chiefs and their fan base love Chris Jones, and of course they'd like to have him back. There are rumors the two sides continue to talk about a long-term deal, but Jones will also get to test free agency if there's no deal reached by next Monday.

For a Bears defense needing to add another big-time playmaker up front, Jones would fit the bill. He plays with a nasty demeanor and is excellent in both rushing the passer from the interior and playing the run.

If you added Jones to this defense, the Bears would only further cement themselves as a top-10 unit going into the 2024 season.