Most people think the free agency period is over. Teams have set their rosters for training camp and are using the off time in June and July to rest and prepare. However, history says there is always one last little burst right as camp begins. Veterans who didn’t want to participate in OTAs and minicamps agree to join teams, trying to reserve their bodies for the harder work. The Chicago Bears have done these sorts of things before. Last year, they added DeAndre Carter on June 18th. The year before that was Aviante Collins; in 2022, it was Mike Pennel and Michael Schofield.
GM Ryan Poles always looks for ways to improve his team on the margins. The OTAs and minicamps are often spent evaluating how the current roster looks. Then he and head coach Ben Johnson converse to see if there are certain areas that might need a little extra help. While the team may still want to wait for padded practices, it is fair to wonder if they’re not content with their edge rusher situation. Dayo Odeyingbo was a nice addition, but the team still has serious questions about depth. That is why adding a veteran makes sense, and the name to watch is Von Miller.
“I’m a locker-room guy through and through, and I can still roll out of the bed and rush the passer. That’s what I got.”
Von Miller makes plenty of sense for the Chicago Bears.
Size and power are something they already have with Odeyingbo and Montez Sweat. What they need is a crafty speed rusher to complement them. The Chicago Bears hope Austin Booker can take the next step to fill that role, but banking on him alone feels unwise. Miller is a future Hall of Famer. Though 36 years old, he showed he can still affect games with six sacks and 40 pressures last year.
Most importantly, he has a relationship with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. The two worked together in Miller’s rookie season with the Denver Broncos. If he’s willing to be a rotational pass rusher, and it sounds like he is, that move can help on and off the field. What isn’t known is how much money Miller wants and whether he’s holding out to join a contender. The Bears should still look into it.
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