Long before the draft, the Bears have the opportunity to add to a roster still in need of talent.

Free agency is still going to be a huge tool for the Bears one year after they had almost $100 million to spend and did.

GM Ryan Poles before the season had estimated he had accumulated 75 to 80 percent of the talent needed to get the roster in position where it could be successful. Success when he was hired was defined as being able to “take the North and not give it back.”

So after a couple years of working at it there’s still work to do. How much?

“I want to go through the tape from the whole year and get with my front office on that, but it’s getting smaller, which is good,” he said.

Fortunately for Poles, the money exists again to keep chiseling away at this talent problem they have, especially at a few positions. It could be between $36 million and $61 million if they cut a few big salaries, which may or may not create more roster holes to fill.

There are players who could be of immediate help, who could help improve their plight. The money isn’t like last year but still enough to put a dent in their talent gap or even wipe it out.

“Yeah, you’re flexible, and just like I talked about with the draft, how it’s there, how it might not be there later,” Poles said. “We have a board that we look at, and my guys do a great job setting that up. We’ve got to look into all of the different scenarios that could play out.

“So really we’re just going to stay wide open with it. It’s just nice to be flexible so if something pops up that you don’t expect or some—it just works out the way you want it to, you at least have the financial stability to execute something and not hurt yourself down the road.”

Here are five free agents who could be of immediate benefit for the Bears should they decide they’re flexible enough with their cash, which would probably mean Justin Fields has been traded and they have a rookie quarterback in 2024.

Even if they didn’t trade Fields, they’d have the cash available for at least one more season before it would change.

1. CB Jaylon Johnson, Bears

Free agency for the Bears will need to start with their own player, and that’s cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Don’t be surprised if their talks with him turn into a franchise tag. They like both the rookies they drafted at the position in the offseason and might like the idea of keeping Johnson around one more year while both continue to develop and could be the eventual starters.

All the positive talk about signing with the Bears and from Poles of keeping Johnson can vanish quickly. The franchise tag would mean no Johnson at off-season work, which gives them even more time to develop Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith. The franchise cost is $18.8 million.

2. C Aaron Brewer, Titans

Much depends on what they intend to do with their run-blocking scheme. There has been so much emphasis on looking at coordinator candidates from the Sean McVay coaching tree that it might mean they’re changing up away from the wide zone scheme because McVay has altered his running game away from it. If they hire former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury as coordinator, they’ll be ditching the wide zone entirely. However, most of those candidates they’ve talked to have been affiliated with McVay when he was using more wide zone. Brewer would be an ideal addition as their wide zone scheme center and has played alongside guard Nate Davis in the past. They should also draft a center to develop because it’s not a position where rookies normally enjoy great immediate success. This position has been a Bears problem position since Cody Whitehair made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and then was switched to guard. It’s part of the reason they’ve been anemic on third- or fourth-and-short. They need to get it solved with a two-prong approach, starting with Brewer, who is not going to break the bank and is projected to be worth a $20 million deal total for three years according to PFF. Sportrac.com projects him at $5.2 million per year. They’d be spending only slightly more than they did for Lucas Patrick and he’d be a good bridge starter for a few years until a drafted center develops. A better choice would be Connor Williams, who is estimated to be worth $13.5 million a year and could fit any blocking scheme because of his versatility. They wouldn’t need to draft a center if they signed him. He can play any line position and has. However, the Dolphins free agent center tore an ACL and might not even be available for the start of training camp.

3. WR Curtis Samuel, Commanders

If you’re not bringing back Darnell Mooney, then no one could be a better fit for the Bears as a true slot receiver. They’ve needed a player like this for Justin Fields. If it’s him or if it’s Caleb Williams, they can use the reliable slot guy. Considering they’re being projected to draft an X-type wide receiver, possibly even in Round 1, Samuel, 27, would give them the necessary complement on the inside of the field. He’s also one of DJ Moore’s best friends, from their days together in Carolina. The last two years he has been in the 60-catch range even with Washington’s questionable QB situation. This is a catch total like the Bears were lacking from their second and/or third wide receiver this year. The cost projected by PFF is $9 million a year and with Spotrac.com it’s at $11.5 million. That’s a good rate for production at an expensive position.

3. DT Sheldon Rankins, Texans

Rankins has had better seasons against the run than he had last year but he also focused more on getting upfield and applying a pass rush and had a career-high six sacks. Justin Jones improved this past season at this position for the Bears but is a free agent and hasn’t reached the level Rankins or some others in free agency are at for this position. Rankins was an effective player with the Saints earlier in his career and part of the time with the Jets. He could be a better fit for this Bear scheme in a three technique role. Playing alongside Andrew Billings would allow him to operate free of double teams. This is a three technique who could be signed to play while Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens continue to develop. Rankins’ market value is projected by PFF and Spotrac.com at about $10 million. The problem for the Bears would be getting him to leave Houston, with the future looking so bright for that team. Another option at the same cost is Grover Stewart of the Colts, but he has been in more of the Andrew Billings role than he has been the three technique in the Colts’ defense. He has been a very effective run defender but the Bears are in need of the three technique pass rush from a veteran.

4. S Xavier McKinney, Giants

The Bears need to replace Eddie Jackson because there is no way they’re keeping a player on the payroll who is going to count for $18 million of cap space when he has missed big chunks of consecutive seasons and is in his 30s. He’s a popular player with fans and in the locker room and he definitely will have time left in the league to be successful somewhere, but his contract and lack of production dictate his departure. McKinney has been productive with nine interceptions in four seasons, had a passer rating against of 69.8 this past season when targeted, according to Sportradar, and 72.2 in 2021. He has the adaptability to be a box safety if required but would be better served deep. He would work better interchanging with Jaquan Brisker in this regard. McKinney has been the type of explosive defensive player on returns that Jackson has been, with five TD returns in his four seasons. He’ll come into the box or stop screens and is a sure tackler. Sportradar tracks Jackson at only one season when he was in single digits for percentage of tackles missed. This season he missed a career-high 17.8%. McKinney hasn’t had any seasons with a double digit average for missed tackles. PFF has McKinney projected at $8.25 million a year and Spotrac.com at $10.4 million. Either way, it’s about half Jackson’s cost and gives the Bears another experienced secondary player to team with less experienced Brisker. They need someone experienced to play back with Brisker because he still gets burned too many times when he’s isolated in coverage. Brisker allowed nine TD passes this year according to Sportradar.

5. DE Carl Lawson, Jets

With their supply of cash dwindling, Lawson is a good alternative. He had a bad 2023 slowed by injuries and played in six games. He made seven sacks in his last full season. The Bears basically should draft an edge rusher as a replacement for Yannick Ngakoue and sign someone who replaces Rasheem Green in the rush rotation. Lawson always has had a high pass rush win rate and is projected at just $3.15 million a year by PFF, which is about what the Bears got Green for last year. Green made two sacks and two tackles for loss last year and Lawson would have good chance of contributing much more. They have a defensive end in DeMarcus Walker who is good against the run. They need another edge rusher.