The Chicago Bears will have plenty of decisions to make in free agency this offseason. Their roster is improving, but they still need a few pieces to get them over the top. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings will be going through some roster changes, and there may be players on their team worth looking at.
Which free agents from the Minnesota Vikings could pique the Chicago Bears' interest?
4. Could the Chicago Bears add the former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver?
KJ Osborn is a former fifth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings, entering free agency for the first time after his rookie contract expired. The wide receiver did not play as a rookie but wound up with 655 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021. However, he has not quite lived up to that year since.
In 2022, he improved to 670 yards but dropped to six touchdowns and also fell from 1.3 yards per route run down to 1.08 yards per route run.
In 2023, he struggled even more. He dropped to 540 yards and three touchdowns and also slipped to 0.97 yards per route run. The biggest issue was seeing him go from two drops in the two seasons prior to seven drops last year.
Osborn will be entering free agency at a low point, but perhaps a change of scenery and offense could help him out. Osborn can play both slot and out wide, but as the Bears stand, they need both anyway. The team should have some interest, and at the least, Osborn could push Tyler Scott right now.
3. The Minnesota Vikings have offensive line options worth signing in free agency
The Minnesota Vikings have some interesting offensive linemen that are hitting free agency this year as well. First, Dalton Risner is a free agent. He came in off of the street for the Vikings in the middle of the year and held things down at left guard. With the injuries to Teven Jenkins, it would not hurt to have his depth.
Speaking of depth, Oli Udoh is a free agent as well. He has played 929 snaps at right guard, 204 snaps at right tackle, and 199 snaps at left tackle over his five years with the Minnesota Vikings.
David Quessenberry played right tackle, filling in for Brian O’Neill last year, is another depth option. With 1,712 snaps at right tackle in his career, along with 688 snaps at left tackle and 39 snaps at right guard, he has the position flexibility that could cause him to be a welcome addition.
However, the name to look for is, of course, Austin Schlottmann. Schlottmann is mainly depth, but he has center experience. He played 247 snaps filling in for Garrett Bradbury last year, and he has 524 snaps at center, along with 449 snaps at right guard and 90 snaps at left guard over the course of his career.
Considering the Chicago Bears do not have a center on their roster as it is currently constructed, this may be a smart name to look into, even if he is just signed as depth.
2. Would the Chicago Bears have an interest in Johnny Mundt in free agency?
Johnny Mundt would be an interesting name for the Chicago Bears in free agency. He is not a game-changing signing, but he would fit exactly what they need. Mundt is a blocking-first tight end. He has played 1,045 snaps as a blocker in his career and has run just 386 routes over that same time.
Mundt has been in the NFL since 2017, and his career-high in receiving yards is 172, which did come last year. Still, this should describe what his skill set brings.
The Chicago Bears need this, though. They are going to be losing Marcedes Lewis in free agency this year. As they currently stand, Cole Kmet is the only tight end who will make the 53-man roster next year.
They need to sign someone, and a blocking tight end would fit well with Kmet, who is blocking less and catching more passes. This is not a game-changing signing, but the Chicago Bears have to be interested in Johnny Mundt.
1. The Minnesota Vikings could let some defensive lineman walk in free agency
Overall, the Minnesota Vikings have three interesting names on their defensive line that are hitting free agency this offseason. The first is Marcus Davenport. Davenport has been up and down throughout his career, which is why the Vikings just gave him a one-year deal worth less than expected.
Davenport got hurt early on and did not show anything. It is hard to see Minnesota bring him back and even harder to see his value increase. At the right price, his upside would be a welcome addition to the Chicago Bears.
DJ Wonnum started in place of Davenport and had an excellent year. The Vikings should try to re-sign him. If they do not, the Bears have to be all over this. Wonnum is 26 and playing his best football right now. This would be an underrated but excellent addition.
Lastly, Jonathan Bullard is a free agent. Yes, that Bullard is still around in the NFL. He even played a career-high 643 snaps last year, serving as a starter for most of the season. The Bears are going to lose Justin Jones, and in a rotational role, we could see Bullard come full circle and join the Bears once again. Either way, the Bears' defensive line is the weak unit of the defense, so they have to be interested in which names will be entering free agency on the Vikings.