Underrated free agent offensive lineman with prior ties to Ben Johnson could be the ideal target for the Bears without breaking the bank
The Chicago Bears are set to enter into a new era starting this offseason after hiring head coach Ben Johnson and pairing him with general manager Ryan Poles.The two already seem to be in lockstep regarding what this roster needs to reach the next level and what additions need to be made to get there. […]
The Chicago Bears are set to enter into a new era starting this offseason after hiring head coach Ben Johnson and pairing him with general manager Ryan Poles.
The two already seem to be in lockstep regarding what this roster needs to reach the next level and what additions need to be made to get there.
“Yeah, we’re going to spend a lot of time together,” Poles explained. “That was part of our interview process, how do you handle discrepancies when it comes to player acquisition. And he answered it perfectly…
"It’s spending time and watching tape together to figure out what direction we need to go in. We’re going to have different opinions, we’re going to see players differently, but it’s coming together, watching tape and figuring out what’s best for the organization. So, I think that part is going to come easy.”
The first step of adding to the roster will come through free agency, which officially opens on March 12th. The Bears are expected to heavily pursue some top offensive line talent, something Johnson addressed as a concern in his first day as head coach.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams led the NFL with 68 sacks in 2024, and while some were his own doing, the offensive line never seemed to offer much help either. And the run game can say similar things about the unit's protection.
The prized free agent target for the Bears is easily right guard Trey Smith, and right now Chicago seems like the team willing to break the bank and make him one of, if not the, highest paid player at his position.
If that's the case, and that deal gets done early in free agency, the Bears will have to bargain hunt for some top talent to fill the other holes up front. One of the other glaring holes is at center.
The Bears tried to wait out addressing the position last year before signing Coleman Shelton, who turned in a disappointing season on his one-year contract. Atlanta Falcons' center Drew Dalman is an enticing option in free agency, but like Smith, he could reset the market at his respective position.
Landing both Smith and Dalman is viable given the team's cap space, but it will severely affect the rest of the offseason moves the team could make. Luckily, there's one underrate option who could play either position, wouldn't break the bank, and is already familiar with Ben Johnson's offense from his time in Detroit.
That player is Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Evan Brown. Brown joined the Cardinals last offseason on a 1-year, $2.3 million deal after previously spending one year in Seattle and the prior three seasons with the Lions.
From 2021-22, Brown started 24 games, 12 at center and 12 at right guard in Detroit. With the Seahawks, he started 16 games at center and then started all 17 games at left guard with the Cardinals in 2024. That's incredible sustained versatility at three of the biggest positions of need for the Bears.
And he played at a high level. Last season, Brown allowed just two sacks and 20 total pressures while playing over 600 pass blocking snaps. At center in 2023, he only allowed three sacks and 27 total pressures on 630 snaps. At right guard in 2022, he allowed two sacks and 22 total pressures.
This is an ultra-reliable and versatile guy who already knows the offense after playing under Johnson in 2022. Best of all, Spotrac's market value is projecting him to land a 1-year, $4.7 million deal. This would be a no-brainer signing for the Bears' front office.
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