Prioritizing the Chicago Bears player-acquisition strategies after their big trade

What will adding these players potentially cost the Chicago Bears?

Next, let's take a look at how much these suggested free-agent additions could cost the Bears in 2023 based on Spotrac's projected yearly cost. D.J. Moore's contract will also be included in the Bears' spending spree of 2023. The Bears had 98M to spend before cutting any players or adding D.J. Moore. Here is a list of the possible player acquisitions in 2023 with their projected salaries.

$17.5M - D.J. Moore, WR
$16.5M - Jamel Dean, CB
$17.1M - Dre'mont Jones, 3T
$12.4M - Frank Clark, DE
$11.2M - Arden Key, DE
$74.7M - Total of above players

There is a reasonably good chance the Chicago Bears will sign these two free agents as well.

$8M - David Montgomery, RB
$2.3M - Bobby Okereke, ILB
$85M - The new total with these additions

As you can see by ensuring that the Bears have two good pass rushers signed from free agency, there is not enough cap space to sign one of the better free-agent right tackles who will cost 15M or more. They need the cap space left over after free agency to sign their draft picks and fill out their needs for backups.

When juggling all the factors in deciding who the Bears should acquire, a theme clearly emerges that they should use free agency to buck up their defense and the draft to build a quality offense for Justin Fields. Acquiring D.J. Moore in trading their first pick in the draft made their offseason being a true success so much more likely. One thing I have done is have the Bears spend the big free agent money on positions with top positional value. These are DE, CB and 3T which are of top positional value to the Bears' defense.

It is not much of a gamble for the Bears to expect to add an interior offensive lineman and maybe even a right tackle with their late second-round picks. Steve Avila who can play all three interior offensive line positions should be available at 53. Jaelyn Duncan played left tackle in college and his athleticism fits the Bears zone blocking scheme. He is also projected at playing guard as well as tackle. Duncan should be available late in the second round because he lacks polish in his game.