LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears added some important pieces from free agency and significant trades, shoring up issues and clearing up roster weakness.

They acquired guard Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney for future draft capital. They signed center Drew Dalman. Then they added heft to the defensive front with Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo.

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In doing so, they’ve given freedom to their scouting staff. They don’t need to stretch for a pressing need.

To paraphrase general manager Ryan Poles, they’ve got options.

“This really opens the whole board for us,” Poles said in a Wednesday press conference at Halas Hall. “We’re going to be able to sit back and kind of look and say, what’s the best thing to do for the Chicago Bears and who’s the best player that can impact? We’ve got some tough decisions and a lot of film to watch between now and the draft.”

Analysts typically associated the Bears with taking an offensive lineman at No. 10 overall, but that’s no longer a requirement. Their starting offensive line is essentially set, with Braxton Jones, Thuney, Dalman, Jackson and Darnell Wright operating from left to right. They’ve got capable backups almost everywhere up front.

So, could they take an offensive lineman? Sure. Could they take an edge rusher? Yep.

Do they absolutely have to get an instant impact player at one of those spots? They most certainly do not.

That widens the lanes for Poles and his scouting staff.

It also allows them to take a luxury item up high, like a running back or a receiving tight end that Ben Johnson loves to deploy.

That could earmark running back Ashton Jeanty or tight end Tyler Warren for the Bears, which could represent a major push towards creating a dynamic offense that was missing for so much of last season.

And when it comes to supporting Caleb Williams, such a move would accomplish that mission. They could also continue adding to the defensive front.

Back to Poles’ point here. The Bears used free agency well and created freedom in the draft process. They no longer must stretch for need. Now they can go out and start adding good players, with their starting lineups on both sides of the ball – save the slot receiver – essentially set.