Even though the draft has wrapped up, the excitement surrounding the Chicago Bears hasn’t calmed down a big. The team is heading out of the event with a handful of new rookies who will learn under Ben Johnson and the coaching staff, but there’s also something to be said for adding veterans to the mix.
Rookies come to camp filled with excitement and youth. A young roster is obviously a good thing, but don’t discount the vets. Longstanding players in the NFL add a maturity and elegance to the game that you just won’t get without them.
In that spirit, Mike Pendleton of USA Today’s Bears Wire has released a tally of available NFL free agents who would make great Bears heading into the 2026-27 season. He points out some flaws where veterans could step in, too, noting that “despite having seven total picks in this year’s draft, the Bears did not draft a single edge rusher, and the only defensive lineman they took was Jordan van den Burg, a defensive tackle out of Georgia Tech, in the sixth round.”
Chicago Bears Should Consider Veteran Defensive End to Flourish in 2026-27
Pendleton points to free agent Haason Reddick as a choice pick for the Chicago Bears. His career earnings top $80 million, according to research from Spotrac.
“Another veteran edge rusher who has a real knack for getting after the quarterback, Haason Reddick has had down seasons the past two years, totaling just 3.5 sacks, but had double digit sacks the previous four seasons before that,” Pendleton states in the piece.
He adds: “If the Bears feel he still has some gas left in the tank and can get him back to somewhere near his earlier production, Reddick would be a good situational pass rush signing.”
What this reporter likes about Reddick is that he gets under the skin of the quarterback, which is exactly what a great edge rusher needs to do. Sure, he’s not as flash as some other options (cough, cough, Crosby), but Reddick still rocks.
Looking at the Chicago Bears in the NFL Power Rankings
Eric Edholm of the NFL’s official website has his power rankings out going into the 2026-27 season, and they take the draft into account. He also points out the need for a defensive end, such as Reddick.
“The Bears’ draft class is a mostly-respectable crop on the whole, with some smart targeted additions at need spots,” he states in the feature. “I do question the lack of impact D-line pickups and still wonder about that position group, but overall, Chicago did fairly well.”
He continues: “We’ll see if the Bears can become more of a complete team this season, but they appear headed in the right direction.”
He gives the Chicago Bears the No. 11 spot in his NFL power rankings. Sure, it’d be nice to be higher, but No. 11 isn’t too shabby. It would be a shocker for Johnson to not bring on a pash rusher from free agency or via trade, so as soon as that gets done, this roster will look even better.
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