The Chicago Bears haven't done as much as other teams in free agency, but they have kept things afloat and stable as they head deeper into the offseason.
They've lost Drew Dalman to a surprise retirement, Tremaine Edmunds to a cut, and Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard III to free agency. Chicago has answered with a trade for Garrett Bradbury, and signings of Devin Bush and Coby Bryant.
However, as ESPN's Bill Barnwell notes, there are still two big issues that need to be resolved. Those needs are an outside cornerback and a box safety. Barnwell offered a simple solution: fill those needs with a veteran in free agency and in the draft.
Bears urged to fix CB, S issues with veteran FA and draft pick
"The Bears probably still need to add a starting cornerback and a safety comfortable playing in the box between now and the start of the 2026 season," Barnwell writes. "The solution: Take a flyer on a veteran and add help in the draft."
While the Bears might have needs along the offensive line and defensive line still, resolving their cornerback and safety rooms is a big issue that cannot go unaddressed.
In free agency, if the Bears want a veteran cornerback, Jeff Okudah, Tre'Davious White, Kyu Blu Kelly, Kaiir Elam, Marshon Lattimore, L'Jarius Sneed, and Trevon Diggs are possibilities.
While none of those are the best options the Bears could've had this offseason, there could be one player they deem to have sufficient upside to take a chance on.
Tyrique Stevenson is a fine starter, but giving him competition this year isn't a bad idea either. There are some players at cornerback in the draft, but the safety class is especially talented.
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Caleb Downs and Dillon Thieneman aren't likely to make it to the Bears' pick at No. 25 overall. But Emmanuel McNeil-Warren will, and he would be worth a draft pick in the first round.
Later in the draft, in round two and beyond, A.J. Haulcy, Kamari Ramsey, Genesis Smith, Zakee Wheatley, Bud Clark, Michael Taffe, Jalen Stroman, Cole Wisniewski, Bishop Fitzgerald, and Lorenzo Styles Jr. are all interesting options.
Chicago has plenty of draft capital, and while they might use their early picks on defensive and offensive line, Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson cannot ignore the secondary.
It's one of the biggest issues remaining with the team, and while the Byrant addition is nice, and the cornerback room isn't in a bad spot, better depth and higher-upside players are worth considering in both free agency and the draft.
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