ClutchPoints
After what at one point looked like a promising 2024 season crumbled to the tune of 11 consecutive losses, the Chicago Bears now enter a 2025 season with a new head coach (Ben Johnson), a 2nd year quarterback who flashed star potential despite horrendous circumstances (Caleb Williams), a boatload of cap space (the 6th-most in the NFL), a general manager potentially on the hot seat (Ryan Poles), and a renewed sense of urgency to dig themselves out of the bottom of the NFC North.
We know that due to these circumstances, the Bears are going to take some big swings this spring. But not every hit can be a home run. Ryan Poles is going to need to hit some singles and doubles this offseason to make the strides that fans in the Windy City are expecting. Below are six of the players who Poles and the Bears could sign that would move them in the right direction.
Ben Johnson has had one of the best running back tandems in the NFL at his disposal over the last two seasons in Detroit. D’Andre Swift potentially checks one of those two boxes, but as much as I’ve been a fan of what Roschon Johnson brings to the table, he doesn’t project as a player who makes up one half of a one-two punch that would be one of the best in the NFL. Admittedly, Craig Reynolds doesn’t get the Bears there either, but he does have familiarity with Johnson’s offensive approach, having played for the Lions over the last three seasons.
There is growing speculation that the Bears will look to address finding someone to meet the requirements of the other half of that one-two punch along with D’Andre Swift. Vikings free agent to-be Aaron Jones has been mentioned as a possible option to play alongside Swift, but the more intriguing possibility is that Chicago ends up selecting Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty with the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Jeanty to Chicago likely only comes to fruition if Ryan Poles is able to make big enough gains on both the offensive and defensive lines before draft night, whether that be via trade or free agency.
One of the worst-kept secrets around the league is that the Bears plan to make a strong push for Chiefs guard Trey Smith if Kansas City opts not to slap the franchise tag on him. After a disastrous Super Bowl against the Eagles, it seems unlikely that the Chiefs will do so. If the Bears are scared off by Smith, or if they decide to spend big money elsewhere — more on this in a bit — a suitable back-up plan could be Lions guard Kevin Zeitler.
Zeitler will be 35-years-old at the start of the 2025 season, so by no means should he be considered a long-term option to keep Caleb Williams upright, but that doesn’t mean he...
