Bargain Bin Free Agents Chicago Bears Should Target to Fill Biggest Needs
At first pass, the Chicago Bears don't look like a team on the hunt for bargains during free agency.
After all, according to Spotrac, the Bears have north of $50 million in free cap space—a strong number before potential salary cuts such as Jay Cutler, Eddie Royal and Lamarr Houston.
But even a rebuilding team like the Bears, steered by smooth decisions thus far by general manager Ryan Pace, will look for deals where they can get them and throw otherwise exorbitant cash at big problems.
For example, the Bears might enter a bidding war for a top-tier offensive tackle knowing how important it is to shore up the edges of an offensive line that might be protecting a rookie quarterback.
Finding a complementary wideout or extra defensive back, though, is where the Bears might hunt for bargains.
Let's look at a list of names the Bears might explore signing who can provide worthwhile production compared to the biggest names on the market, at a fraction of the cost.
Brian Hoyer, QB
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Seems obvious, right?
With the Bears linked to Mike Glennon, one has to wonder why the front office doesn't simply bring back veteran backup Brian Hoyer.
Glennon is only 27 years old and might have some upside, but he's also only appeared in two games since 2014 and didn't play at all in 2015. He served as the backup to Jameis Winston and heads to free agency as a big name sure to get overpaid.
Hoyer? Not so much. A journeyman at 31 years old, Hoyer looked serviceable last year in spot duty, completing 67 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions.
If serviceable is what the Bears want while grooming a rookie on the bench—or even waiting until next year to draft one—then Hoyer offers it in droves. He's a game manager who can put up wins, especially if the talent around him is strong.
Rather than splurge on Glennon, the Bears could use the cash saved to insulate Hoyer with better talent, which also takes a future-looking lean and places a young quarterback in a better situation later.
Kendall Wright, WR
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Here's an unexpected option the Bears should pursue.
Kendall Wright, the No. 20 pick in the 2012 NFL draft, never lived up to expectations with the Tennessee Titans.
One exception—he posted 1,079 yards and two touchdowns in 2013 under the guidance of offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.
Loggains happens to serve the same role in Chicago right now.
Wright won't generate much interest on the market, 27 years old or not. He hasn't appeared in more than 11 games in each of the past two seasons and didn't produce well despite Marcus Mariota's arrival. He was also benched multiple times last year.
Alas, the Bears need some depth and Kevin White insurance. Wright is both in a big way, especially if his former coordinator can get the most out of him again.
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR
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Presuming the Bears bring back Alshon Jeffery and White can stay healthy, the team simply needs a fourth or fifth receiver—bonus points if he can return the ball well.
Sounds like Cordarrelle Patterson.
The Bears apparently have the same thought process, because Sporting News' Alex Marvez revealed the front office will make a push for the former Minnesota Vikings wideout.
Patterson doesn't offer much as a receiver, having 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns over four seasons. But he's one of the league's most dangerous returners, a factor alone the Bears shouldn't mind shelling over bargain cash for—any dump offs or screens that emulate a return he can take in the base offense are simply a bonus.
Rather than rely on a rookie, the Bears can free up a draft pick here by bringing on a 25-year-old wideout who is one of the best in the league on returns.
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Jared Cook, TE
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The Bears might be able to take advantage of an impasse between a tight end and a fellow NFC North rival.
The Green Bay Packers probably want Jared Cook back, though the veteran likely wants to cash in on a sizeable contract before he turns 30 years old in April.
Chicago should be more than willing to step in and give Cook what he wants. Cook missed six games last year due to injury, yet he averaged 55 yards and four catches over his final 10 games while functioning as a critical part of Green Bay's unpredictable playoff push.
For the Bears, Cook would give the coaching staff the option of quality two-tight end sets and insurance behind the oft-injured Zach Miller.
This doesn't make Cook sound like much of a bargain, but keep in mind Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star floated out a $7 million number for Jack Doyle before he inked a new deal, announced by the Indianapolis Colts. So yes, Cook is a bargain compared to the rest of the market.
Darius Butler, DB
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The Bears figure to aggressively hit corner and safety in free agency and the draft. Funnily enough, the front office will seek out some bargains along the way as well, even if they ink a top-tier defensive back or spend the No. 3 pick on the areas.
With this in mind, going for a bargain such as Darius Butler makes some sense.
Yes, Butler is going on 31 years old in March. But he ranked as the No. 32 corner in the NFL last year at Pro Football Focus (for comparison, though injured, Tracy Porter ranked 118th). He boasted an especially strong grade in the pass coverage department.
Even better, Butler has decided to combat his aging body with a willingness to move to safety.
Translation—other teams may see an aging corner, but defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could line Butler up in the slot or at safety depending on the package.
Versatility and fluidity are keys to combating the wealth of issues facing the Bears in the secondary, so Butler on a short deal would be a good get.
D.J. Hayden, DB
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D.J. Hayden is a low risk, high reward sort of move for the Bears, which seems right up their alley given the nature of the rebuild and current construction of the roster.
Hayden was the No. 12 pick in the 2013 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, though he only managed to appear in eight games that year. To date, he has only appeared in one full 16-game season.
The bad news doesn't stop there—Hayden ranked 106th last year on the list of corners at PFF.
Sounds bad, but again, a low-cost gamble. Hayden is only 26 years old and hasn't been able to shake the injury bug, only appearing in 11 games last year.
At worst, it would be interesting to see Hayden slapped in an environment like Chicago, where the Bears won't ask him to live up to his billing as a top-12 pick by ascending to No. 1 corner on the depth chart. He could wind up as a quality extra defensive back for a deep unit at quite the affordable asking price.
Johnathan Cyprien, DB
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Notice a trend?
Former high selections in the defensive backfield keep slipping to market, and the Bears should keep putting out feelers.
This time it's Johnathan Cyprien, the No. 33 pick in the 2013 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Cyprien isn't a coverage safety by any means. But get this; he was so strong against the run last year, PFF slotted him as the No. 5 safety in the league despite a negative grade in coverage.
With Chicago needing to make over both safety spots, bringing in Cyprien as a thumper against the run shores up one spot instantly. Though a specialized role that won't confuse opposing offenses, Fangio could make it work.
Grabbing a 26-year-old safety who can even slot as a hybrid linebacker in spot instances (he's 217 pounds), the Bears could use the money saved to splurge in free agency on a center fielder safety, if not use one of the first two picks on such a player.
Duron Harmon, DB
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Duron Harmon isn't a household name, yet here is another 26-year-old player the Bears can grab on a bargain and trot out as a starter right away.
Harmon is the opposite of Cyprien, a coverage-first safety who graded 20th overall in the area among safeties last year at PFF.
The New England Patriots have to worry about keeping bigger names such as Logan Ryan, and Harmon was technically the third safety for the team, so he won't demand the biggest money on the open market.
While he isn't an Eric Berry or some of the other bigger coverage names the Bears would have loved to sign, Harmon is a quality deep-zone player who can push others on the roster while starting. Even if he loses a gig to a big-name rookie, he's a welcome, versatile depth option for a team needing to revamp the secondary as a whole.
Like many of the bargain signings here, Harmon offers versatility and quality production at an affordable price, two essential traits of a rebuilding team needing to simply approach the corner before it can even think about turning it.
All contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise specified. Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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