As Ben Johnson enters his first season with the Chicago Bears, the 2025 NFL free agency period could be an aspect of the offseason that could set this team apart from the rest of the league. While the Bears already added offensive line help, there are some other holes on this roster that Chicago could beef up through free agency in Johnson’s first offseason as a head coach.
Free agency usually forces teams to overpay for quality talent, which makes it a risky portion of the offseason.
And while the Bears certainly have their eyes on players who could improve their roster, certain positions should be seen as a priority for Ryan Poles and Co.
Bears free agency goals: Protect the QB and rush the QB
Entering free agency in the 2025 NFL offseason, the Bears should have two major ideologies in mind: Protect Caleb Williams and attack all opposing quarterbacks.
In 2024, Williams led the league in sacks taken (68), while the Bears’ defense totaled just 40 sacks, ranking 16th in the league.
Now, while their sack total as a defense isn’t bottom-of-the-league bad, it surely isn’t a number they should be proud of.
However, their biggest priority should be protecting their No. 1 overall quarterback, which they failed to do in his rookie season.
In his second season in the NFL, the Bears hope to keep Williams upright more than they did in his rookie campaign.
So, given the crop of free agents expected to hit the open market in the offseason, which players should the Bears avoid at all costs?
The Bears should avoid Joey Bosa in free agency
First up, the Bears should avoid edge rusher Joey Bosa in free agency.
Yes, in terms of name value, Bosa is near the top of the list of free agents.
However, there should be more factors other than name value for a team to sign a player.
As a former No. 3 overall pick in 2016, Bosa came into the league as a highly touted pass rusher. In nine seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Bosa made a name for himself, making five Pro Bowls and being named the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
In fact, he was so good that Bosa earned a massive five-year, $135 million contract from the Chargers.
Since signing that contract, however, it’s been tough sledding for the former Buckeye, as he hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
Bosa signed his contract in July 2020, setting himself up for a big season after being paid handsomely.
But, after his big payday, Bosa has spent more time on the sideline than rushing the passer.
In the five seasons following his payday, the former Chargers’ pass rusher was inactive for 28 out of 84 possible games. That means he missed approximately 33.3% of games after signing that massive contract.
So, if the Bears want someone who might miss one of every three games, Bosa is their guy.
For a team that needs production from the edge, Bosa shouldn’t be who Chicago pinpoints. Instead, the Bears could try signing Khalil Mack and/or select an edge rusher in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Regardless of what they do, Joey Bosa shouldn’t be at the top of their free agency priorities.
If he’s willing to take a team-friendly deal loaded with incentives, however, that could work.
The Bears should avoid Aaron Jones in free agency
The second free agent the Bears should avoid is running back Aaron Jones.
No, this has nothing to do with his past with the Green Bay Packers.
It has to do with the fact that he’s coming off of one of the best seasons of his career at the ripe age of 30 years old.
After signing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, Jones was their bell cow. He ended the season with 255 carries, 1,138 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, 51 receptions, 408 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns.
And while these points might drive teams to pursue Jones in free agency, the Bears shouldn’t be one of those teams.
This isn’t to say Jones can’t have success in 2025, but his 2024 season was already a bit of an outlier.
Throughout his eight-year career, Jones has finished three seasons playing in 100% of games: 2019, 2022, and 2024.
Now — I’m not a statistician — but the odds of him playing an entire season in 2025 seem highly unlikely.
Not only did he just come off a season of playing in each game, but he just had the most carries he’s ever seen in a season.
So, while his talent is worth adding to the Bears, his potential unreliability makes him a risky free-agency addition.
One reason the Bears could make this work is their abundance of money. But just because they have a lot of money doesn’t mean they should spend it willy-nilly.
In fact, they should start spending their money, as there’s no reason to have loads of cap if they have no plans of using it.
But, they should use their money wisely. And Aaron Jones might not be what most consider a wise use of cap money.
Instead, the Bears could use one of their draft picks on a younger running back who has a stronger likelihood of playing most of the season. That would be a better use of resources, especially given how loaded the 2025 NFL Draft is with running backs.
At the end of the day, Chicago has many ways to improve their roster in the 2025 NFL free agency period during the offseason. But — at the risk of improving their roster — the Bears could ruin it just as easily by signing the wrong free agents.
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