Two-time Super Bowl champion would fit like a glove in Bears' defense in 2026

The Chicago Bears will be one of the more active teams in free agency this offseason, and a lot of that will be on the defensive side of the football. They want to upgrade the defensive line, move on from Tremaine Edmunds, and add a starting safety. One option to find safety is Bryan Cook.

Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report went through every team and tried to connect a perfect free agent for that team. For the Bears, he noted that it may not get any better than Bryan Cook.

"The Bears are going to be connected to a lot of edge-rushers during free agency. It makes sense, but they at least have Montez Sweat to build around. They essentially have no safeties on the roster for 2026.

Bryan Cook has the ability to play deep or be a playmaker in the box. At 26 years old, he's just hitting his peak. He's a sure tackler who missed just 4.5 percent of his tackle attempts last season."
Alex Ballentine

Will the Chicago Bears pursue Bryan Cook in free agency?

It is fair that the Bears do not have any safeties, and they will be in the market for one. It is also fair to say that Cook will be a good addition in free agency after a solid stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. The question is whether this is the perfect fit.

Spotrac has Cook projected to earn $14M per year on a four-year, $56.7M deal. That is not what the Bears should be paying at safety. In fact, Jaquan Brisker is projected to get a three-year deal worth $33M, just $11M per year.

It is fair to note that Cook has a longer track record of health, but Brisker has higher highs and has already played in the system. Paying for Cook is not the move.

As Ballentine writes, the Bears not only need an edge rusher, but they need a defensive line. They are moving on from Edmunds to save money for those premium positions, and the point of letting Brisker walk is to add a safety who is much cheaper and hopefully younger, so they can keep the salary cap in a good spot.

The team is in a good spot now, but big contracts are coming on offense, and they were spending too much on linebacker and safety as it was. Spending more is not the solution. The Bears can bring back Kevin Byard, sign a cheaper free agent, and even draft at the position to ensure they have a cost-effective approach moving into the future. Those are better fits than Cook.

Cook is a nice idea, but not the perfect fit. A potential perfect fit for the Bears would be Trey Hendrickson, or even K’Lavon Chaisson and Kwity Paye, if you are thinking about not handing every team the best option. Along the interior, Sheldon Rankins makes a lot of sense.