Free Agent Ties with Meaning for Bears

Analysis: Some players still remain unsigned in free agency who have ties to the Bears coaching staff or personnel department.

It would be an exaggeration to label free agency a bane to the existence of personnel people in the NFL.

All of them claim to want to use the draft to build their teams instead, but in the end to some degree almost all will use free agency for something.

One of the reasons free agency gets a bad knock is you're bringing in players from other organizations and there is a great unknown. They could have some personal issues. They might like to take off their pads and uniform during the game.

They might have an injured foot that hasn't healed enough so they can pass a physical.

It's buyer beware, or in the Bears' case with Larry Ogunjobi it's sorry, no deal.

So it's always best to have some inside knowledge on a free agent.

Right now there are players available who might be of interest to the Bears with strong connections to someone with GM Ryan Poles' organization or with Matt Eberflus' staff.

If this seems like this ties aspect is being exaggerated, consider the following: Five of the free agents signed by the Bears came from teams with past ties to someone on the coaching staff or to Poles himself.

Poles obviously knew all about receiver Byron Pringle. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was very familiar with receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and center Lucas Patrick. Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad played for Eberflus and his current defensive coaches in Indianapolis. And the connection is more remote but guard Dakota Dozier was on the Vikings offense that had Bears quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko as its quarterbacks coach.

There are secondary connections like Poles having seen linebacker Nick Morrow twice a year as a Raiders linebacker for several years or Eberflus having coached for the Colts twice a year against Titans teams with safety and special teams standout Dane Cruikshank.

The Bears are being frugal now until they can spend next year so things like ties and inside knowledge of players matter.

That being said, here are free agents still available who would have obvious connections to the Bears through personnel or the coaching staff.

Top Shelf

Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu

The "Honeybadger" has been sitting out there with the Bears safety supply at one, then two after DeAndre Houston-Carson's signing and now three after Cruikshank signed. If the Bears were the Rams or Buccaneers or some team exected to compete for the playoffs this year, then adding players like this is always a possibility. Bringing him aboard at what has been estimated at $14 million market value—now less because free agency is past its initial stage—makes little sense for their cap. It makes no sense when they're going young in a rebuild. He'll be 30 this season. While that's not the end of the line for many safeties, in a few years when the Bears can be competitive he will be out of the league. They just got rid of a bunch of 30-somethings. Bringing in another to help win six games this season makes no sense. They did that last year with 30-somethings.

Colts tackle Eric Fisher

He not only knows Eberflus from last year but Poles because he spent eight years in Kansas City. This one makes more sense because a veteran left tackle can be a bridge to a younger tackle eventually starting. Teven Jenkins or Larry Borom or a draft pick wouldn't have to start right away at left tackle. But Fisher would be expensive and why would they want a bridge for a second-year tackle anyway. Tackles frequently play well in to their late 30s, as the Bears saw with Jason Peters. So a signing does make more sense than Mathieu.

Colts WR T.Y. Hilton

He's still young enough to help a team and the estimate by Spotrac is for $6 million and one year. That's not the issue. Signing a 30-something wide receiver who would command playing time over a rookie they are going to draft makes no sense whatsoever. You don't develop receivers by drafting them and making them watch.

Eagles CB Steven Nelson

Assistant GM Ian Cunningham saw Nelson come to the Eagles and make an impact last year. He started his career with Poles' team. Besides the cost issue with this one, Nelson's playing level hasn't always been up to the cost being talked about with Nelson. The other thing about signing him is if they actually wanted him, why wouldn't they have simly signed him already?

Well Fitted

Chiefs LB Anthony Hitchens

He was with Eberflus in Dallas, with the Chiefs under Poles and has played all linebacker positions in a 4-3 defense. He's also going to be 30 this year so it would be only as a stop-gap starter until they draft a younger linebacker. He has far more starting experience than the strong side linebacker they currently have, Joe Thomas. If the Bears were interested, they probably would have signed him by now. He was cut by the Chiefs for cap purposes before free agency even began.

Colts DE Kemoko Turay

Would the Colts let Eberflus have another defensive end? Turay has 12 sacks in foue years but came on strong last year with a career-best 5 1/2 sack. He has 29 career QB hits. The 6-5, 248-pound pass rusher would be a reserve but part of the outside rush rotation.

Packers P Corey Bojorquez

In case anyone forgot, the Bears no longer have free agent punter Pat O'Donnell. Ryan Winslow is their only punter on roster. The former Packers punter actually averaged more than O'Donnell last year, although he did have one rather inconvenient blocked punt in the playoffs.

Possibilities

Colts CB Xavier Rhodes

The former Viking and Colts cornerback is still playing well enough to help a team get by but as stated earlier, the point here is to get a younger cornerback on the field with talent who is learning the position by playing, not try to win a game or two because they have a veteran who hasn't had too many good seasons since his mid 20s.

Colts CB Travis Carrie

Another older Colts cornerback who knows Eberflus' system but his role would be as a backup and every team needs them. He made three starts for the Colts and was on the field 537 snaps over two seasons as a sub. He made two interceptions and a fumble recovery so he gets the takeaway aspect of the HITS system.

Packers CB Kevin King

It's difficult to say what thoughts Getsy might have about King, who was much maligned in Green Bay in 2019 and 2020. He was a starter. He is still 26 and was known for giving up big plays. But he also made some plays along the line. He made five interceptions in 2019. That's three more than all the Bears cornerbacks have had combined over the two seasons since then.

Others

Giants G/C Billy Price

Bears receivers coach Tyke Tolbert was with the Giants last year when Price was center. He is more of a center but before coming to the Giants had split his snaps at guard almost 50-50. A former first-round pick, he has struggled as a pass blocker in New York and with the Bengals and wouldn't be an ideal acquisition. Cincinnati got B.J. Hill and a seventh-round pick for Price, which seems like a fleecing. He has blocked two years in a Shanahan style of system, with the Bengals. The Bears are going to this wide zone concept and Price's strength has been run blocking. He had a 68 grade last year as run blocker with the Giants from Pro Football Focus.

Colts DE Isaac Rochell

A 6-3, 280-pound seventh-round pick from Notre Dame who had one season under Eberflus and got in for 177 plays. He had 9 1/2 sacks for the Chargers and 10 tackles for loss in four Chargers seasons while making nine total starts in five years. A backup type who would fit a role at defensinve end if they wanted another player at this position.

Colts DT Antwaun Woods

A 6-1, 318-pound nose tackle who has been a defensive tackle with Dallas. He had one year in Indianapolis, played in seven games before going on IR with a calf injury. With Dallas, he had 32 starts in 2018-20 while making 80 tackles and eight QB hits.

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