CHICAGO, Ill., — The first wave of the NFL's free agency period is in the books and the Chicago Bears have made a few key moves so far. While there hasn't been any shocking pickups for the franchise, Ryan poles and his staff are trying to fill needs with limited cap space. However, two of their biggest needs left are on the defensive line and they are going to have to figure out a way to solve that before the season starts.
One option Chicago could have is veteran defensive lineman Cameron Jordan. The 36-year-old is likely moving on from New Orleans and has yet to decide on where he's going, but did say that he's targeting three spots. Could Chicago be a fit?
Shanna McCarriston and Carter Bahns of CBS Sports released their ideal landing spots for Jordan, listing the Bears' among them:
*Figuring out the defensive backfield is priority No. 1, but Bears coach Ben Johnson said at the NFL combine that creating more pressure is a "point of emphasis" entering 2026. If that means looking for help on the free agency market, Jordan will likely catch their attention. Jordan spent a full decade playing for Chicago defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, so a reunion would be hard to pass up. Plus, the Bears just opened up a bunch of cap space by agreeing to trade wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Bills. They can now afford to bring Jordan aboard while also working to retain their own free agents.*
The notable reason is a reunion with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, someone Jordan played 10 seasons under in New Orleans. the two are familiar with each other and Jordan fits the mold for what Allen wants in a defensive end. He likely won't command a lot of money either but with Chicago's cap situation they are probably going to have to restructure deals for the draft class anyway.
Jordan is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he had 32 total tackles and 10.5 sacks, while starting in all 17 games. He didn't rule out a reunion with the Saints, either.
Not a VIP subscriber to the Bear Report? Sign up now to get access to everything publisher Zack Pearson and the entire Bear Report team have to offer on all things Chicago Bears and access to the No. 1 site covering the team!