The Chicago Bears' free agency plans have hit a major roadblock with the arrival of their biggest obstacle.
The Chicago Bears have more money to spend in the 2023 free agency than any other team. General Manager Ryan Poles is equipped with the equivalent of a whole arsenal, so he can pursue any free agent he desires and offer more money than anyone else. However, this doesn't mean the Bears will be reckless with their funds. As always, the plan is to be disciplined. They will be aggressive when the time calls for it, but Poles is not going to establish his team's identity through the veteran market. Instead, he will likely use it to fix two or three positions he feels cannot be appropriately addressed in the draft.
Yet, before the Bears can make such moves, they must wait out the franchise tag window, which officially began on February 21st, according to Adam Schefter. This process will continue for the next two weeks, until March 7th. During this time, teams can designate one player on their roster with the franchise tag, ensuring they won't hit the open market for at least another year. This can potentially pull several big names out of the pool of Bears targets.
The Chicago Bears will have to sweat this out. Of the candidates Schefter listed, the one the Bears will keep a close eye on is Daron Payne. The big defensive tackle was dominant in 2022, posting 11.5 sacks. He represents the interior pass-rush ability that Chicago desperately needs for their defensive line. If the Washington Commanders tag him, it makes life harder for Poles to find a solution to that problem. Some other prominent names that could get a surprise tag include Falcons right tackle Kaleb McGary, Broncos defensive tackle Dre'mont Jones, and wide receiver Jacobi Meyers.
The challenge of the franchise tag is that teams have to figure out whether they can fit the numbers onto their books. It isn't easy, since several teams are against or over the salary cap. That's why the list of apparent candidates isn't overly extensive. Once the deadline passes on March 7th, the Chicago Bears will have a clear vision of who will be available and who they should prioritize once the tampering window opens two days before free agency on the 13th. Keep a close watch on the offensive and defensive tackle markets.
