Starting at noon Eastern on Monday, the NFL newswire will be rife with unofficial deals for players changing teams in free agency, including the Bears.
How much activity obviously remains to be seen.
However, the latest messaging in league circles about the Bears suggests that while they may be active, there may be more focus on adding supporting cast members at reasonable values as opposed to multiple or, perhaps, even one splashy signing this offseason.
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The Bears and other teams cannot officially sign players from other teams until March 11. But the NFL legal tampering period begins on Monday, and that is when a large swath of the pool’s top talent has typically made their decisions.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Bears were among the teams monitoring the trade situation for Maxx Crosby, whom the Baltimore Ravens acquired, but were not major players.
However, Fowler’s note on free agency fit is a seemingly similar narrative.
“The Chicago Bears freed up around $17 million in cap space with the D.J. Moore trade, which they will need in free agency to aid the defense. Yes, they could use pass-rush help. But I don’t sense Chicago is desperate for a splashy pass rusher. Much will depend on price. Interior rush help could be the way to go,” Fowler wrote on March 8.
“Alex Anzalone is a name to watch. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was with him in New Orleans and he’s good in coverage. At safety, my sense is the Bears will attempt to re-sign Kevin Byard III over the weekend but will let Jaquan Brisker walk.”
Anzalone, who was with Bears head coach Ben Johnson in Detroit, would step in to replace two-time Pro Bowler Tremaine Edmunds.
The Bears cut Edmunds after failing to find a trade.
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Anzalone is more than three years older than Edmunds. Similarly, Byard–the NFL’s interception leader in 2025–is more than five years Brisker’s senior.
Zooming out, ESPN’s Dan Graziano linked the Bears to Baltimore Ravens free agent center Tyler Linderbaum on March 6. That was hours before the Bears acquired Garrett Bradbury from the New England Patriots to replace retiring Pro Bowler Drew Dalman.
Bradbury is three-plus years older than Dalman and nearly five years older than Linderbaum.
However, Dalman is not available, and the Bears are presumably acknowledging an extensive bidding war for Linderbaum.
Adding older players is not inherently bad. It does put more emphasis on the draft, though. That is where Bears general manager Ryan Poles must shine. The Bears still roster 11 of 21 draft picks from Poles’ first two classes at the helm.
One, Kyler Gordon, has received a contract extension, while another, Brisker, could be leaving.
The Bears have given themselves a tough act to follow after a resurgent 2025 season, making this offseason intriguing for entirely different reasons than last.