Bears linked to the most costly free agent blocking help

A top free-agent ranking by ESPN follows the beaten path in linking the Bears to the most expensive blocking help available, which would be a departure for Ryan Poles.
Falcons center Drew Dalman looms as a potential object of Bears interest in free agency says ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Falcons center Drew Dalman looms as a potential object of Bears interest in free agency says ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. / Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
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Matching up the Bears and offensive linemen of any type in free agency is an easy thing to do at this point, especially considering their solid salary cap picture.

The Bears have been reluctant to spend big on free agents. As Ryan Poles said at the outset of his regime, it's cash best to be used judiciously.

It's time to be judicious, especially on the offensive line.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote that "some inside the league" believe the Bears will be pointing toward signing Kansas City guard Trey Smith, the No. 2 free agent available on Matt Bowen's list of top-ranked free agents that was released on Wednesday.

Bowen says Smith is No. 1 overall free agent on some teams' lists. Part of the reason for Fowler's connection to the Bears is, of course, he was drafted while Ryan Poles was working with the Chiefs' personnel department.

The Bears have the cap space. Overthecap.com has them at $54.2 million effective cap space for 2025. It's the seventh most effective cash space and a figure that will no doubt go up when some players who do not figure to be part of the plans are released.

And Smith is not the only offensive lineman ESPN thinks the Bears will pursue.

Fowler indicates the Bears could be interested in Bowen's 27th-ranked free agent, center Drew Dalman from the Falcons.

Dalman had an ankle injury so he had a shortened season. Dalman is the top-graded center in free agency according to both ESPN and PFF.

"Chicago needs to address its interior offensive line, and New England also could be among teams looking for center help," Fowler wrote.

Bowen cited a 95.1% win pass block win rate last season and a ninth ranking for centers. It would be an upgrade over Coleman Shelton, who rated in the middle of the pack according to Pro Football Focus.

Another offensive line point of interest in Bowen's ranking is Bears guard Teven Jenkins. He's No. 25 on the Pro Football Focus free agent ranking but on Bowen's he is just 41st.

"Jenkins' extensive injury history forced him down the rankings, as he has only 38 of a possible 68 career games," Bowen points out.

Bowen has wide receiver Keenan Allen at No. 49 on his free agent list but they don't speculate or offer a report on his potential future.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.