As the Chicago Bears head into the 2024 offseason, there will be plenty of player movement. A lot of the talk around the Bears is about which players should be shipped off or not re-signed. However, there are some players that fans are questioning, but they should stick around in 2024. Who are they?
4. The Chicago Bears do not need to replace Braxton Jones as a starter in 2024
The Chicago Bears have a huge decision to make when it comes to Braxton Jones. Jones will be entering his third season as a former fifth-round pick. He did enough in his rookie season to earn another chance, but the Bears also had so many holes that they could not address them all. This year, he was injured during a larger portion of the year, but when he returned, the offense started to find its groove. Still, the Bears roster looks better now, and with two top-ten picks, there is talk about them replacing Jones as a starter in 2024.
While the team could bring in someone better than Larry Borom to compete with Jones this offseason, they should retain Jones as the starter. Jones has not been an All-Pro or an over-the-top starter, but he is starter caliber and has not done anything to lose the job.
He had issues with penalties early in the year, but by the end of the season, it was not an issue. He entered the NFL as a work in progress as a day three pick from a small school, but he has progressed every season, and there is no reason to think he will not be even better in 2024. The Bears' needs are slimming down, but they still have enough questions that they should address before they look at a new left tackle. Braxton Jones will start again.
3. The Chicago Bears have to keep Jaylon Johnson this offseason
The Chicago Bears have three options to choose from with Jaylon Johnson this offseason. First, they could franchise-tag him. Second, they could extend him to a long-term deal. Third, they could franchise tag him with the intention of trading him.
Two of the three scenarios involve him returning to the team next year. So, while there is a smaller chance that he does not return, it is definitely not the one that they should choose. Yes, if a team completely blows them away and makes an insane offer for Johnson, they would be crazy not to take it. However, they would also be smart to keep Johnson, even if they cannot agree to a long-term deal.
The Bears' defense started to gel down the stretch, and the best thing for a defense is continuity from week to week and year to year. With Tyrique Stevenson entering his second year in the defense and Kyler Gordon entering his second year as a full-time slot, the Bears could run back the same three in the cornerback room, and they should have one of the best groups in the NFL.
The team can get rid of most of their upcoming free agents, but after the season that Johnson had in 2023, they cannot move in 2024.
2. The Chicago Bears should trust Nate Davis to bounce back in 2024
Most Chicago Bears fans are so annoyed with Nate Davis. The 2023 free agent signing was supposed to be a key piece that gelled the offensive line together. Instead, Davis has been viewed as a huge question mark. Still, Bears fans and the team has to give him another chance and ride with him in 2024.
First, they should because they kind of have to. Davis has an $11.2M cap hit next year, but if they cut him, they eat $11M. They would have to decide if paying $11M for him to not play is worth it. Beyond that, they are not going to pay more than that to replace him if he is already on the books for that much.
Beyond that, Davis deserves a break. He dealt with a difficult family issue in the offseason and missed two weeks to deal with things. After that, he started to find his groove, and he got hurt again. When he was healthy and got to play a few games in a row, there was an upside and the outlook of a great offensive line.It is easy to think that this year will be the way things go, but from a bigger picture outlook, he will not have major personal issues to start his year, followed by an injury after missing that time. He should be healthy next year and should be trusted to start.
1. These depth free agents should return to the Chicago Bears in 2024
When you go down the list of free agents for the Chicago Bears this year, almost all of them should walk in free agency. They either do not want to return after a bad year or a bad fit, or the Chicago Bears simply do not want them back. However, there are a couple of players that could be returning.
The Chicago Bears should try to bring back Dan Feeney. They have no one at center as it currently stands, and they cannot bring back Cody Whitehair or Lucas Patrick. Feeney will be cheap to re-sign, and they already invested a draft pick into him; why not give him one more year on a cheap deal to ensure they go into the offseason without a massive hole there?
Dylan Cole is another name that could be re-signed. He played special teams well, and considering the Bears have four linebackers firmly ahead of him on the depth chart, that is all the role asks for. They should bring him back. Lastly, they might as well stick with Patrick Scales. The long snapper has been with the Chicago Bears since 2015, and nothing about his play suggests the team should move on.
None of them will be crazy in terms of cost, and all of them will fill a role as needed depth players. These are some free agents who did not wear out their welcome.