Bears' Top Players to Avoid in 2024 NFL Free Agency

The Chicago Bears' offseason plans are not finalized yet because of their quarterback situation, but they can lock in one set of decisions now.

Chicago can build up a list of free agents it does not want to bring to the NFC North.

General manager Ryan Poles should be trusted after he made some shrewd moves to improve the defense in the last 12 months. T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds were brought in last offseason through free agency and Montez Sweat was acquired in an in-season trade.

Chicago's defense has gotten better since this time last season and its offense must match that progression in 2024.

Whomever the starting quarterback is needs some more support at wide receive and improved protection on the offensive line.

The Bears have to hit on the free-agent signings at those positions to take a step forward in 2024.

Odell Beckham Jr.

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 25: Odell Beckham Jr. #3 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to the start of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on December 25, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Odell Beckham Jr. should be the No. 1 wide receiver on the must avoid list of a few franchises, including the Bears.

The Bears do not fit the likely demand that Beckham wants to play for a Super Bowl contender.

Beckham's financial demands will probably make him not even an afterthought in Chicago's offseason plans.

Beckham's only hit the 500-yard mark in the last two seasons he played. That will not be good enough for the Bears to accept him on a heavy contract.

Additionally, Beckham's list of injury issues should turn away the Bears. The last thing they want is an oft-injured veteran to help along a young quarterback, whether it be Justin Fields or Caleb Williams.

Kendrick Bourne

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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 22: Kendrick Bourne #84 of the New England Patriots carries the ball in the second quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

A fully healthy Kendrick Bourne would have been an intriguing fit with the Bears.

However, the veteran wide receiver suffered an ACL tear in Week 8 of the 2023 season and the Bears can't risk him working back to full strength for half of the season.

Bourne had a pair of 400-yard season with the New England Patriots after an 800-yard campaign in 2021.

The production drop off is concerning, but at least he caught 37 of his 55 targets in 2023 before getting hurt.

The reliability across the middle would have been an interesting fit with the Bears, but they need to pass on Bourne because of the injury. They are not in the place where they can take risks on players. They need players to be on the field and produce starting in Week 1.

Mekhi Becton

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FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 7: Mekhi Becton #77 of the New York Jets looks to block against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 7, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.(Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Mekhi Becton can be added to the "Don't Sign" list for the same reasons as Beckham and Bourne.

The soon-to-be-former New York Jets offensive tackle missed parts of the 2021 season and all of the 2022 campaign with injuries.

Becton had a solid 2023 campaign, but he comes into free agency with a longer injury history than some of the other top offensive line targets.

The Bears could sign him to be a third offensive tackle, or move him inside to help Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, but his injury history even makes an experiment like that not worth the price.