BY Robert j. matthews
The Chicago Bears have a lot of money to spend in free agency, but their reputation as a consistently unsuccessful team might make it difficult to sign top players.
Consider Chris Jones, a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs.
He will become available in March and could greatly improve the pass rush for the struggling Bears.
Jones stayed with the defending champions for the 2023 campaign and recently mentioned that this might be his last year with them.
But on Wednesday, December 6, Alex Ballentine from Bleacher Report advised Jones to avoid going to Chicago. Many others in the NFL media also share this opinion.
Chris Jones is the best free-agent interior pass-rusher. He is one of the few top players who might actually leave his team.
The Chicago Bears could be strong competitors. Matt Eberflus' defense uses a 4-3 base, just like the Chiefs.
Acquiring Montez Sweat improves their pass-rushing, and adding Jones would further strengthen their foundation.
But it's reasonable to wonder if Jones and Chicago's timelines align. The Bears are still unsure about their quarterback situation.
We're still unsure about Eberflus. Jones wants a long-term contract when he turns 30.