Let’s begin with a well-known face.
Johnson, 24, is now eligible for free agency after completing the last season of his rookie contract. It is probable that he will demand top cornerback compensation, which will either put him among the highest-paid corners or attempt to reset the market with an unprecedented amount.

There are those who believe the Bears will employ their franchise tag on Johnson, giving him a one-year contract that is equivalent to the average salary of the league’s top five cornerbacks. According to Bowen, the Bears will sign their homegrown corner in the long run.

“I like Johnson staying in Chicago as the Bears’ No. 1 corner, with the coverage traits, backfield vision and ball skills to produce once again,” Bowen stated. “For a Bears defense that ended with 22 interceptions, tied for the most in the NFL, he recorded a career-high four interceptions last season. In my opinion, Johnson’s multi-year contract signing will be crucial to coach Matt Eberflus’ plan.”

Indeed, Johnson had arguably the best season of his career to end last year. He received his second All-Pro selection and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. With just over 55% of his targets being successful in catching the ball, he also concluded the season with his best allowed completion percentage.

Without a doubt, the Bears’ acquisition of Montez Sweat during the NFL trade deadline was a gold mine. He recorded 6.0 sacks with the Commanders and 6.5 with the Bears, making history as the first player in NFL history to lead two different teams in sacks.

However, the Bears could use another elite edge rusher opposite of Sweat to bolster their pass rush. The Texans’ Jonathan Greenard is a pass rusher that Bowen advises the Bears to target.

“General manager Ryan Poles made the trade last season to acquire defensive end Montez Sweat, which changed the Bears’ defensive setup,” Bowen stated.

“Greenard, who is explosive off the ball and makes plays late in the down with his fantastic effort level, is another edge defender that the Poles could add.” Greenard had 12.5 sacks and a 22% pass rush win percentage (sixth in the league) in his final season with the Texans. Additionally, he exhibits instincts as a run defender.”

Last year was finally the breakout season for 26-year-old Greenard. In addition to his intriguing services, Bowen noted that he concluded with an incredible 12.5 sacks and an incredible pass-rush win rate.

However, there are drawbacks. He is still awaiting his first NFL season. In 2023, he participated in 15 games, tying

his career high for a single season. Not including unsigned players, he would rank 15th among edge rushers with

an annual contract value of close to $13.4 million. To put it in better perspective, he would be in the same range as

DeMarcus Lawrence, Josh Sweat, and Cameron Jordan. He missed the last two games due to an ankle injury, half of the regular season games in 2022 due to a calf injury, and four games in 2021 due to a foot injury.

Danielle Hunter, Carl Lawson, and Leonard Williams are three other elite edge rushers who are available as free agents. To meet their need for an edge rusher, the Bears may also turn to the draft.

The Bears undoubtedly need assistance on the interior offensive line. They recently severed their relationship with Whitehair, and it seems unlikely that they will re-sign Lucas Patrick to serve as more than a backup. Fortunately, they have Nate Davis and Teven Jenkins at the guard positions, but they lack a reliable center.

“Williams suffered an ACL injury in his left knee in December, which has an impact on his value on the free agent market,” Bowen stated. “But Williams had a 93.9% pass block win rate on tape prior to the injury, so he was extremely good. He creates positive angles to cut off defenders as a positional blocker at the point of attack and an easy mover in the run game. Williams will likely stick in Miami under Mike McDaniel’s offensive scheme. However, don’t forget to watch Chicago; the Bears must address the center position.”

Williams’ ACL injury from the previous season may deter potential suitors, as Bowen pointed out. However, I would bring up his prior to 2023 playing record. With the exception of a few games when he came off the bench, he participated in every regular season game from 2020 to 22. In addition, he averaged 1,050 snaps per season over those three years of play.

His next contract is expected to be worth approximately $13.5 million annually, according to Spotrac, which is a lot of money for a center. That would put him in the top three center contracts, directly behind Frank Ragnow and Jason Kelce.

The Bears could likely wrangle a deal for Williams given that both Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, their tackles, are still young. And since Whitehair is right behind Williams in terms of market value, I’ll say this: Williams makes up the majority of the free agent center market. For snappers, the current free-agent market is a wasteland.

Compared to free agency, this may be a position best satisfied in the NFL draft. However, keep an eye out for how the Bears spend their free agent cash this offseason.