Bears’ Best 3 Remaining Free Agent Fits After 2023 NFL Draft

Getty Frank Clark could be one of the best fits on the post-draft free agent market for the Bears.

The Chicago Bears have added 10 new rookie draft picks along with more than a dozen undrafted free agents to their 90-man offseason roster over the past week, but there are still a few holes the team could stand to address in free agency before the start of 2023 training camp in late July.

The Bears drafted a number of players who they believe can be long-term building blocks for the franchise, including new right tackle Darnell Wright, interior defensive linemen Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens and running back Roschon Johnson. At the same time, the decisions they made based on how the draft board fell also led to them completely passing over a few key spots, such as defensive end and center.

While Bears general manager Ryan Poles has made no secret about the fact that it will take more than just one good offseason to rebuild the Bears into contenders, he has also indicated that the post-draft free agent pool — as well as the forthcoming veteran cuts from other teams around the league — could present them with more options to add.

Here are three currently-available free agents who would fit in nicely with the Bears:

Yannick Ngakoue, Defensive End

GettyYannick Ngakoue is an experienced edge rusher with ties to Matt Eberflus’ defense.

The Bears drafted zero new edge rushers in the 2023 NFL draft despite the depth of the class. While Poles admitted that it was simply how the board fell, it doesn’t change the fact that Trevis Gipson — who regressed in 2022 — and newcomer DeMarcus Walker are a risky duo to trust as the top two guys off the edges of their defensive line. Fortunately, they have about $35.7 million left in cap space and a target on the market who might be capable of filling that role in Matt Eberflus’ defense: Yannick Ngakoue.

It is a bit of a mystery why the 28-year-old Ngakoue wasn’t signed in the pre-draft waves of 2023 free agency. While he has played for four different teams over the past three seasons, he has maintained his career standard of at least eight sacks per season with his 9.5 sacks in 2022 leading the way for the Indianapolis Colts. He has also stayed relatively healthy during that three-year span, missing three games total.

Considering rookie safety Jaquan Brisker led the Bears with four sacks last season and the team finished with an NFL-worst 20 sacks, Poles would be wise to stack at least one more productive veteran in the room while they have the money. They might even be interested in locking up Ngakoue on a multi-year deal given he is only 28.

Spotrac’s projected 2023 market value for Ngakoue: $14.8 million

Cameron Fleming, Offensive Tackle

GettyCameron Fleming is one of the better veteran swing tackles left on the 2023 market.

The Bears invested their most important draft pick — No. 10 overall — into Tennessee’s Darnell Wright, a big and strong tackle who they believe can be their right tackle of the future. It was a bold-but-necessary decision that reinforced how committed the Bears are to getting Justin Fields better protection. It also suggested the Bears believe in 2022 All-Rookie left tackle Braxton Jones as a potential foundational piece for their O-line.

Even with a significant upgrade, though, the Bears are seriously lacking experience in their tackle room after the offseason departure of 34-year-old Riley Reiff. None of the five tackles on the Bears’ current 90-man roster have spent more than two years in the league, and while they might feel confident about their two starting tackles, adding a veteran swing tackle could go a long way toward safeguarding against injuries.

That’s where Cameron Fleming comes in.

In 2022, Fleming earned his best overall career mark from Pro Football Focus (72.6) despite allowing seven sacks for a Denver Broncos offensive line that gave up more sacks (63) than any other team in the league. He also flexed his muscles as a swing tackle, playing 603 snaps on the right and 373 snaps on the left. He might be halfway to 31 and unappealing as a long-term or starting investment, but as a short-term veteran who can offer support to a pair of younger, more talented starters, it may be an easy fit.

Spotrac’s projected 2023 market value for Fleming: $2.5 million

Frank Clark, Defensive End

GettyFrank Clark would add much-needed experience to the Bears’ defensive end room.

The Bears’ need for another experienced edge rusher cannot be understated, which is why a second one deserves to be featured on this list. Walker had a breakout year for the Tennessee Titans in 2022, recording seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss, but there is always potential for him to be a one-year wonder. Similar questions persist for Gipson, who had a strong seven-sack season during Robert Quinn’s record-setting year in 2021 but notched at least one sack in just two games in 2022. If even one of them takes a step backward, it could spell doom for the Bears’ roster as it is currently constructed.

Frank Clark is another consistent bet in the edge-rushing department. The 30-year-old was an integral part of Kansas City’s defense over the past four seasons, getting named to three consecutive Pro Bowl rosters from 2019 to 2021 and earning a reputation of a playoff warrior for the Chiefs with his 10.5 combined sacks over 12 playoff games in that span. He would not only be a quality mentor to some of the young ends the Bears have on their roster — including 2022 fifth-rounder Dominique Robinson — but also a true veteran starter to beef up power off the edges for the start of the new campaign.

Clark might not have the long-term potential of someone like Ngakoue, but a one-year investment — even if it is pricey — would help alleviate some of the immediate concerns with the Bears’ defensive end group while also not handcuffing them to an aging pass rusher beyond the 2023 season. Think of it as something similar to the Robert Quinn signing in 2020, but instead handled by a front office that has a vision for the future and no intention of signing a multi-year contract that could cripple them later on.

Spotrac’s projected 2023 market value for Clark: $12.4 million.