Safety, defensive end, left tackle top Bears’ list of needs entering free agency

The NFL offseason is about to enter its busiest time next week.

NFL free agency begins when the negotiating period opens at 11 a.m. Monday. Players will then be allowed to sign contracts with new teams beginning 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles enter free agency in a different position compared to years past. The Bears are coming off their first playoff appearance in five years under head coach Ben Johnson.

They’ll also have a good amount of salary-cap space to use to build upon last year’s success. That came thanks to their trade of wide receiver DJ Moore, their release of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and the sudden retirement of center Drew Dalman earlier this week.

Here’s a look at the Bears’ top three positions of need heading into free agency.

1. Safety

The cupboard is bare in the Bears safety room.

None of the four regular contributors from last season are under contract for next season. Starters Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker and backups Jonathan Owens and Elijah Hicks will all be free agents.

The Bears’ safety room was its most dependable room on the defensive side of the ball. Not only did all four players compete in every regular-season and playoff game last season, they also helped the Bears lead the league in takeaways and interceptions.

Byard played a big factor in that success. He led the NFL with seven interceptions and earned his third All-Pro honors. Brisker flashed his talent at times but proved that he could play a whole season after battling injuries during his first three seasons.

Given the market, it’s unlikely Poles can bring back both Byard and Brisker given the team’s needs elsewhere. It’s likely that the Bears will sign one starter in free agency and draft another starter with one of their higher draft selections.

“We have to be strategic,” Poles said. “And as I’ve always said, it takes two to make that happen. So we need to be really smart with the guardrails we put up. And if it falls into that, then great. If not, we have to pivot to the next deal.”

Of the two, it’s more likely that Byard will come back. Both Byard and the Bears seemed open to a reunion if it made sense for both parties. A team might be willing to pay up for Brisker’s potential, pricing Chicago out of his market.

Top free-agent targets: Byard, Bears; Bryan Cook, Kansas City Chiefs; Coby Bryant, Seattle Seahawks; Nick Cross, Indianapolis Colts; Kamren Curl, Los Angeles Rams.

2. Defensive end

Poles revamped the offensive line last offseason and helped it become one of the best units in the NFL. He’ll need to do the same with the defensive line this time around.

Chicago’s defensive line struggled to make a consistent difference for most of the season even though the defense led the NFL in takeaways and interceptions. The Bears ranked near the bottom of the league in both stopping the run and consistently pressuring opposing quarterbacks despite blitzing at a good clip.

Defensive end Montez Sweat quietly put together his best season with the Bears. He finished with 10 sacks, the most he’s had with one team in a season, to go along with 13 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback hits.

But he didn’t get much support opposite him. Last year’s top free-agent acquisition, Dayo Odeyingbo, didn’t make an impact in eight games before he tore his Achilles tendon. The Bears also saw more production from him when they moved him inside the line in stopping the run. Austin Booker made an impact at times with 4.5 sacks in 10 games, but Chicago will likely want an upgrade.

“It will be a point of emphasis when we come back in the spring time, just how do we increase our get off to where we can put more pressure on the (quarterback),” Johnson said.

There will be plenty of options if the Bears want to address their need in free agency. Trey Hendrickson is obviously the top prize that the Bears have been linked to at times. But there are other players who might not cost as much but who could still make an impact.

The major question is how much will the Bears want to spend on the group. They have other needs on the roster, including defensive tackle. Poles might try to boost the defensive end unit through a trade — hello Maxx Crosby — or in the draft where a deep class awaits.

Top free-agent targets: Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals; Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins; Odafe Oweh, Los Angeles Chargers; Boye Mafe, Seattle Seahawks; Khalil Mack, Chargers; Bradley Chubb, Dolphins.

3. Left tackle

The Bears had questions surrounding who would be their left tackle to start training camp last season. They’ll have those same questions as the get started in free agency.

Chicago seemed to have a solution at the position after shuffling different bodies at the spot last season. Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet each earned starts at the spot before Ozzy Trapilo took over in Week 12. Trapilo showed promise at the spot and seemed to be the Bears’ future at the spot until he injured his patellar tendon in the playoffs.

Now the future of the spot is up in the air. Poles said Trapilo should return sometime late next season. How he looks if he does play is up in the air. That’s why the Bears are looking at all options at left tackle.

“There’s free agency, some options in free agency, re-signing your own, and then you have Theo’s development,” Poles said. “And we’ve yet to put a whole offseason together with Kiran (Amegadjie). But he has shown promise at times. But a lot of different factors that can be difficult to figure out.”

Poles could look for a stopgap answer at the spot in free agency. A veteran left tackle would do well next to left guard Joe Thuney just like Trapilo and Benedet did.

But Dalman’s retirement might change the Bears’ plan here. Most would agree that the left tackle spot is the most important on the line. Yet the Bears saw how much an elite interior of the line can make a difference.

That might force the Bears to spend more on center and work with what they have or draft a left tackle.

Top free-agent targets: Rasheed Walker, Green Bay Packers; Jones, Bears; Jamaree Salyer, Chargers.