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The Chicago Bears made a pair of under the radar money-saving moves earlier this week, cutting veteran rotational pieces in tight end Gerald Everett and defensive end DeMarcus Walker. Though neither Everett or Walker were expected to be part of Chicago’s future plans, their departures are noteworthy for two reasons: First, it saves the Bears, who already have plenty of money to spend this spring, about $20 million ahead of free agency. And second, it creates an even larger void along the defensive line that Ryan Poles and the Bears need to fill before the 2025 season starts.
According to one Chicago Bears beat writer, the decision to cut Walker indicates that Poles and co. have something up their sleeve this offseason.
“To me, the #Bears don’t cut a solid rotational guy like DeMarcus Walker unless they have a big move at DE planned,” Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron writes on X. “Josh Sweat? Khalil Mack? Maybe they make a trade for somebody? Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what they do. They need the pass rush to be better.”
Acquiring Josh Sweat or Khalil Mack would definitely be a step in the right direction for a Bears defense that, according to new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, needs to be better at getting after the quarterback. But they aren’t the only options.
Khalil Mack played four seasons for the Bears before Ryan Poles, in one of his first moves as Bears general manager, traded the former All-Pro to the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the 2022 season. Mack, whose health and production dipped in the final season of his tenure in Chicago, returned to form in Los Angeles, and now even at 34 years old, he’s one of the top free agent options available for any team that needs help along their defensive line.
If it weren’t for Josh Sweat’s star-making performance in Super Bowl 59, it’s possible that the Bears could’ve gotten him at a very palatable price this March. However, Sweat notched 2.5 sacks against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, so now Chicago or any team interested in signing Sweat, will need to dish out some serious cash bring him aboard.
Maybe it’s Myles Garrett, maybe it’s Micah Parsons, maybe it’s Maxx Crosby. But you figure that with each of these All-Pros potentially available to be traded for this offseason, Ryan Poles would at the very least be inclined to place a couple of phone calls to see what/who he’d need to part ways with in order to acquire one of these guys. At this point, Garrett seems like the most likely option for Chicago, but the Browns remain insistent that they won’t trade the six-time All-Pro.
The most interesting — and admittedly, the most far-fetched offseason outcome...
