2025 NFL Free Agency: Which Bears will be free agents, and who should Chicago re-sign?

The Chicago Bears have several players scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. Here are who they should re-sign and who they should let go.

Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

2024 was a massively disappointing year for the Chicago Bears, which had to sting for a fanbase filled with so much hope back in August. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was a roller coaster ride, and the franchise is once again in search of a new head coach after finisihing the year 5-12.

Once that new head coach is found, he'll have to make some immediate decisions regarding free agency. 

The Bears have thirteen players set to be unrestricted free agents. While some have just been one-year rentals, others have been on the squad for a while now.

Who should be top priorities for GM Ryan Poles to re-sign? Let's take a look.

Bears' top free agent priorities

Keenan Allen, Teven Jenkins, Patrick Scales

This will be controversial, but Keenan Allen should be Chicago's first re-signing this offseason. No, he's no longer prime Allen. But he's a good player, and if the price is right, the Bears can keep this trio of receivers together for Williams to continue to grow with.

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Jenkins's injury history will also raise objections from Bears fans, but he is too talented to be dismissed. If Jenkins is willing to accept a smaller, incentive-laden deal to compensate for his availability issues, Poles must make that happen.

Then there’s Patrick Scales. Sure, he's just a long snapper, but as we all saw in Week 6 when the Bears went to London, long snappers matter too. Unless he plans to retire (he turns 37 this year), Poles needs to keep Scales around.

Depth players the Bears should re-sign

DeAndre Carter, Darrell Taylor, Travis Homer

Carter has been a fine player for Chicago, plus he adds special teams versatility. That's always a nice bonus. 

Darrell Taylor was acquired through a trade right before the season, and he's shown decent flashes as a situational pass rusher. 

As for Homer, running backs get banged up easily in the NFL. It never hurts to keep a guy around who's familiar with the team.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Let 'em walk

Coleman Shelton, Larry Borom, Matt Pryor, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Marcedes Lewis, Jake Martin, Nsimba Webster

Not much to say about this group. Shelton has been the latest in a long string of poor Centers for the Bears. Borom was not a Poles draft pick and has not played well in a long time. Lewis was a nice signing as a veteran leader, someone who could steady the locker room in trying times, but other players should be taking on that role going forward, like now-two-time Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson.

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