The free agency frenzy is about to begin in the coming days and the Chicago Bears are still expected to be aggressive spenders despite recent moves made this week.
The Bears were smart to address some of their major holes before free agency kicked off. Adding two guards in Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney fills two of the three needed upgrades on the offensive line and signing Durham Smythe gives the Bears a veteran backup tight end behind Cole Kmet.
As for the other moves needed, the Bears still need to fill one last starting position on the offensive line at center and find a complement to Montez Sweat at defensive end. Both moves should be made early on in free agency. Here’s my prediction on who the Bears sign at both positions, and 3 other players I see the team adding next week.
Prediction #1: C Drew Dalman (4-year, $55 million)
Let’s start with the obvious. The Bears have long been connected to Drew Dalman, the top starting center on the free agent market.
During the 2025 Combine, head coach Ben Johnson stressed the importance of having a strong presence at center, something the Bears haven’t been able to find in years.
Therefore, I fully expect the Bears to move quickly in agreeing to a deal with Dalman once the legal tampering window opens on Monday. My prediction of a 4-year, $55 million deal will come in shy of Creed Humphrey’s record for a center, but will be higher than what Llyod Cushenberry, the top center in 2024, got last year in free agency from the Tennessee Titans.
Prediction #2: DE Khalil Mack (1-year, $22.5 million)
Last week, I broke down the top offseason moves the Bears should make. In that piece, I noted Dayo Odeyingbo as a perfect fit for Dennis Allen‘s scheme and a ideal free agent target for the Bears. In the days since, I’m getting the sense that Odeyingbo will be priced out of joining the Bears based on other teams showing interest.
I’ve also come around to the popular idea of bringing back Khalil Mack, given all the connections in Chicago. And he seems like a more logical fit.
The Bears need an impact pass rusher off the edge but also need a veteran presence. As much as I like Odeyingbo’s potential, Mack fits that bill. He also wouldn’t be a long-term option, allowing the Bears to draft another top edge rusher for the future. Now, Mack will still command a top contract, but a one-year, $22.5 million deal to return to Chicago makes sense for what both sides are looking for.
Prediction #3: Sebastian Joseph-Day (2-year, $8.5 million)
The Bears showed last season they need to add some depth to the defensive front. One of the main points Ben Johnson brought up when discussing the defense on the first day is how different the entire unit looked after losing Andrew Billings.
Now, I don’t expect the Bears to add a top interior defensive lineman such as Johnathan Allen or Milton Williams. But, a veteran such as Sebastian Joseph-Day makes sense for this defense in terms of having a strong run defender inside.
Under Dennis Allen, I feel like Gervon Dexter Sr. will move around the entire front too, opening up an opportunity for a second interior player. Joseph-Day won’t require a big deal in free agency and had productive experience rotating in 2024 with the Titans, a year in which he played all 17 games but logged 486 total defensive snaps.
Prediction #4: WR Tim Patrick (1-year, $2 million)
This is a signing I would really like the Bears to make for multiple reasons. For starters, the connection with Ben Johnson coming over from Detroit adds up. Tim Patrick was solid in his role as a #3 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
In Chicago, he will fill that same role playing behind DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Patrick’s size and effort makes him a favorite for any coach he plays for and Johnson will push to bring a guy like him to the Bears’ offense, and it wouldn’t take much.
The Lions seem willing to fill that role in the draft, which would allow the Bears to sign him pretty cheap. This offense will run through Moore and Odunze, Patrick just needs to do his job as a blocker with a limited offensive role (he only had 44 targets in 2024). However, it seems like another former Lions coordinator in Aaron Glenn with the New York Jets will make a push to sign Patrick as well.
Prediction #5: OL Matt Pryor (1-year, $2.5 million)
As for another addition to the offensive line, I’m not opposed to re-signing Matt Pryor. After signing him to a one-year deal last offseason, Pryor was a stout protector who became an eventual starter for the majority of the season at right guard.
Having him back as a depth piece at right guard or behind Darnell Wright at right tackle would be a good move to make.
Pryor will of course be allowed to establish his own market first to see if another team would be willing to pay more and give him a starting role. But, if the market just isn’t there for the 30-year-old, the Bears should really consider bumping up his pay and having him back in 2025.
