This may seem like a slow period in the Bears calendar. It isn’t. There’s always something to discuss when it comes to a team with so much to improve, especially one with assets to spare. The Bears have three selections in the top 41 and four in the top 75, plus tons of salary cap space entering this season and on into the future.

RELATED CONTENT:

• State of the Bears series: Biggest strengths; Contract moves; Biggest needs; Salary-cap situation; Free agency primer
• NFL mock draft roundup: Bears get Myles Garrett for No. 10 overall (and more)
• Bears 2025 offseason primer: Salary Cap, NFL draft picks, key dates and more
• Bair Mail: On Keenan Allen, Braxton Jones and NFL draft depth

That provides fodder for what the Bears might do this spring. And it also provides quality content for a mailbag or two or a thousand over the course of this offseason, and your questions have been plentiful. Appreciate that.

Let’s get to your thoughts and concerns and conversation topics right, you know, now:

Barb Walker from Champaign, Ill.

The Bears will sign Josh Sweat and Milton Williams and Drew Dalman and…

Bair: Hey Barb. I love your wholistic look to the players the Bears should sign. I just don’t think that they can handle all of that free-agent volume.

Let’s take a closer look at your top signing, he by the name of Josh Sweat. I can understand why he’s your top choice. He had an exemplary Super Bowl performance and had a standout 2024 campaign. Oh, and he had eight sacks during the regular season and 2.5 more during the Super Bowl.

We should counter that with the fact he might command $15-20 on an average annual salary. Oh, and the Bears already have Montez Sweat on a big contract. I would think the Bears would be better suited bidding on an offensive lineman and maybe a bigger defensive guy like Cameron Jordan (in a trade for a Dennis Allen guy likes; though that seems unrealistic) or a cheaper option like Chase Young. You could supplement that addition by mining a deep draft class of defensive linemen, where quality could be had on the draft’s second day.

Denny Williams from Collierville, Ill.

After last year’s debacle with the 2024 season, do you think GM Ryan Poles understands that he needs input from a coach to get it right in the upcoming draft.

Bair: I don’t think someone as coveted as Ben Johnson would’ve taken this gig if he didn’t have a modicum of control over the Bears roster. Or at least some say in the roster’s final construction. I don’t think it’s about a roster’s final say. I think it’s about being smart about decisions and making sure they’re collaborative.

Ryan Poles is a smart dude. Ben Johnson knows his stuff. They’ve clearly talked about what happens next. I think there will be a mutual accord on all matters Bears roster. I also think it’s smart that those who scout and those who coach to be on the same page with those in charge of schemes and willing to go find the right fits.

Let’s go back to this quote from Johnson’s introductory press conference, when Johnson was asked about times when discrepancy over evaluation arises.

“Yeah, we’re going to spend a lot of time together,” Poles said. “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.”

Jordan Black from Waukegan, Ill.

Do you see any advantage for the Bears with the increased salary cap figure?

Bair: Not much, honestly. ESPN’s Dan Graziano broke news earlier this week that the cap will fall between $277.5 million and $281.5 million.

That falls over the previous OverTheCap.com estimates, but the trusted NFL financing site states that the team’s buying power won’t go up a ton. All the tags and RFA tenders will also increase some, and it may just cause inflation in the market.

The Bears staying healthy with the cap matters far more, and GM Ryan Poles’ treatment of it has put his team in position to spend big on a player or two should they see it fit.

That could be guard Trey Smith, who will rank among the most coveted free agents in this class. He has played most every offensive snaps since entering the league and could provide the steadiness Chicago longs for on the interior line. It could be a passer rusher, depending on which players they covet and trust enough to offer a large sum of cash coming off a rookie contract.

You can’t swing and miss badly on these deals, which can have long-term repercussions.

Overall, though, it’s good to have more money in the player pool. Those guys play a violent game that makes ownership tons of money. They deserve to be rewarded for it, but it shouldn’t have a major impact in how the Bears conduct their offseason.

Submit your Bears questions and comments below for inclusion in the next Wednesday mailbag. 👇