The New England Patriots will surely be looking to bring him back, but if linebacker Brandon Spikes reaches the open market, the Bears need to be interested. Spikes is one of the best run stuffing linebackers in the entire league. He is a bit of an odd fit for the Bears' system, but I believe his skills could translate to be a MLB in a 4-3 defense. Simply put, the Bears need to stop the run, and Spikes would be a huge help in that department.
Pat Angerer would be a great fit schematically for the Bears. He is not an incredible run stuffer like Spikes, but he is above average in run defense. He also has nice athletic ability that helps him in pass coverage and rushing the passer. It is always hard to predict how much money teams will spend, but Angerer should also be a fairly inexpensive option.
While the Bears' offense does not really need to get better, adding another receiving option is never a bad thing. Julian Edelman has had a great season working out of the slot with Tom Brady and the Patriots, hauling in 105 receptions for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns. The Bears have two incredible receivers on the outside, and one of the only things missing in their offense is a slot guy. Edelman is one of the best in the business and would continue to flourish with Chicago. Because of his great season, Edelman may be priced out for the Bears, but they should definitely be targeting him.
Both safeties struggled mightily for the Bears this season.Chris Conte and Major Wright have proved over and over again that they should not be starting in the NFL. They both consistently get burned deep, are always out of position and are almost no help in the run game. One thing that the Bears' defense lacked in 2013 was a veteran leader. Ryan Clark has a ton of experience and would certainly help them leadership wise. He may not be as athletically gifted as he used to be, but you can always count on him to be in the right position. The Bears simply must address the safety position, and Clark seems like a nice fit.
The Bears must find a way to improve their rush defense this offseason, and adding some beef on the defensive line certainly would not hurt. Chicago was killed with injuries up front in 2013, and that was a big reason why they struggled so much against the run. Their best defensive tackle, Henry Melton, is a free agent. They either need to re-sign him or replace him.
Whether the Bears bring back Melton or not, Paul Soliai seems like an ideal fit. At 6-foot-4 and weighing 340-pounds, Soliai is a monster up front. He does a great job of eating up blocks to free up the linebackers to make plays and also stuffing the run himself. Soliai would give the Bears a much-needed run stuffing defensive lineman, and at 30-years-old he has plenty of career left.
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