John Franklin-Myers, DE
The Bears do need to get better rushing the passer this offseason. Chicago could shoot for the moon and try and swing a trade for Maxx Crosby, but that might be a bit unrealistic at this point.
Chicago could shoot a couple of tiers lower but still get a good player if they pursued John Franklin-Myers, a defensive end who just finished up a two-year stint with the Denver Broncos. In 2025, Franklin-Myers racked up 7.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and 15 quarterback hits.
He's been a remarkably consistent player the last half-decade, actually. Over the last five seasons in the NFL, Franklin-Myers has had between 3-7.5 sacks, 4-8 tackles for loss, and 14-20 quarterback hits in each season. The consistency is there, so if the Bears were to make this signing, they would absolutely know what they'd be signing up for.
Franklin-Myers rushes the passer well along the interior and is largely solid against the run.
CJ Gardner-Johnson, DB
I'm probably cheating a bit with CJ Gardner-Johnson since he finished the season with the Bears, but he was simply an ideal in-season addition for the Bears. In only 10 games, Gardner-Johnson had two interceptions, four passes defended, three sacks, 51 total tackles, five quarterback hits, and five tackles for loss.
Gardner-Johnson is definitely one of the more versatile defensive backs in the NFL, being able to function as a pure safety and a nickel in certain situations. His performance with the Bears in 2025 might make it hard for Chicago to not find a way to bring him back.
He seemed to be a seamless fit in Dennis Allen's defense, and with the potential for a ton of secondary turnover this offseason, the Bears might value someone with Gardner-Johnson's skillset. Overall, while he is an in-house free agent, he's a free agent that must be a priority for the Bears.