As the Chicago Bears move into the secondary waves of free agency, the number of veteran pieces lost on the defensive side of the ball is striking. However, the draft will be a good opportunity to add the type of players general manager Ryan Poles is seeking.
A need that really stands out now is at edge rusher, where it's Montez Sweat and little else. A deep draft class at the position is sure to be tapped into, but another proven veteran might be nice to have.
Cameron Jordan has spent his entire 15-year career with the New Orleans Saints. But his comments to TMZ Sports in February pointed strongly toward the possibility he'll continue his career elsewhere coming off a resurgent 10,5-sack campaign last year.
"If you get a 10-sack season, if I was 26, I’d be asking for top dollar” Jordan said. “Things I’ve never asked for is top dollar. All I’ve ever asked for is to be valued.”
Some players in the 36-year old Jordan's position would value spending his entire career with one team. But he would also presumably like to win a Super Bowl ring before his career is over, and New Orleans doesn't look like a place to do that anytime in the next few years.
Bears' tie doesn't seem to matter to Cam Jordan as he weighs free agency decision
Jordan recently appeared on "The Set" podcast, hosted by former teammate Terron Armstead. He said he is open to returning to the Saints for a 16th season, but he has a "set value" for his services in mind and the team might have a different view of things. So if it comes to that, he's fine with continuing his career with another team.
“You see guys my age re-sign with a team because that’s the only team they’ve ever been with, and you’re like, ‘Hell yeah, we love that,’ but that’s to his situation,” Jordan said. “That may not be to my situation. As football players, we can only control what we can control. As much as I be like ‘Hell yeah, I want them to love me as much as I love them.’ Sometimes the business side of that makes you feel emotional. You gotta be able to take your emotions out of it. Of course, I’d love to be in New Orleans. At the same time, if the cents doesn’t make sense, we gotta find our own path. I know what I want to do, what I want to accomplish. If that doesn’t line up, then that’s fine as well."
Jordan also said there are three teams he's considering signing with. The Bears, with former Saints defensive coordinator and head coach Dennis Allen as their defensive coordinator, would be an easy potential suitor and, presumably, a pretty good scheme fit. Not to mention the Bears being a team on the rise, poised to make deep playoff runs in the coming years.
Much has been made about the money the Bears don't have, but they also aren't completely inflexible on that front in terms of cap space. Still, they shouldn't overpay for anyone in these secondary waves of free agency.
Jordan's perceived value seems to exceed his actual market value; he would already be signed. A fresh confirmation that he won't offer the Saints any discount to return is a strong indicator that he is indeed leaving sentimentality out of his free-agent decision. With that in mind, past coaching ties won't be a factor for him unless something changes.
Read more: Bears doing plenty of pre-draft work to find long-term replacement for Drew Dalman
Jordan may eventually be hit with a harsh dose of reality about the market for his services. But as of now, his tie to the Bears (or anywhere else where he has history with a coach) doesn't seem to be any factor in his decision about who to sign with.