Windy City Gridiron
NFL free agency is just under four weeks away. With the Chicago Bears ranking in the top six in projected cap space, there will be plenty of action before the draft. Here are nine players who could join the market in the coming weeks that have ties to the new coaching staff.
With Super Bowl 59 in the books, the official close of the 2024 NFL season has concluded. Unlike most sports, even when football is not being played on the field, the league still commands most sports fan’s full attention. The unofficial start of free agency is just under four weeks away, while late April’s draft is still two-and-a-half months away.
For teams like the Chicago Bears, the acquisition period has been the highlight of their seasons as of late. As fans have learned, it’s much easier to “win the offseason” than win games when it counts. Head coach Ben Johnson will take over a team that has won 15 games over the last three seasons. With a star-studded coaching staff by his side, it’ll be interesting to see how attractive of a destination they are in free agency.
The team’s needs are precise. The trenches will be the primary focus, and they’ll have plenty of resources to do so. Outside of the top names that will headline the opening day (or two) of free agency, this is a shallow class with much disaster potential. Assuming the Bears don’t spend their fill in the opening few days of the market, some veteran names could come at a discount. More importantly, these are players with a keen familiarity with this new coaching staff, which is usually valued in the early years of a new regime.
The ties to the Bears’ new head coach on offense are few and far between when it comes to potential cut candidates. Even so, Chicago doesn’t have a massive need for most skill positions, which could make adding a familiar receiver (or two) more plausible.
According to Over The Cap, Raymond ranks 4th on a list of 100 players with the highest probability of being cut due to production versus contract value. The 31-year-old is due $6.376 million in 2025, but the team can save around half of that with a pre-June 1st cut. If Detroit were to designate him as a post-June 1st release, they would save $4.826 million.
Raymond isn’t a player who will bring immense value as an offense player, but he should come cheap (if released). As a fourth option, the Bears could do a lot worse. Despite low totals in 2024, he averaged over 500 yards receiving from 2021-2023 in Johnson’s offense. He also brings value as a punt returner. At the right price, Raymond could be a valuable role player in Chicago.
Projected Contract: Two years, $6million ($1.9 million guaranteed)
Ranking one spot below Raymond on OTC’s list is another familiar name in Reynolds. The former Los...
