Teams can turn their fortunes around quickly in the NFL.

In 2024, the Chargers and Commanders were teams that took the jump from last place the year prior to making the playoffs. The Browns and Texans did the same in 2023.

Can the Bears be a part of the trend for the 2025 season?

A new head coach and an ascending quarterback are two pillars providing hope for Bears fans. The addition of a big name free agent would certainly add to that hope – and the Bears won’t be afraid to be aggressive.

“Yeah, I think the clearer the vision, the more aggressive you can be,” Bears GM Ryan Poles said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “You want to be selective in free agency because historically if you look at it, it can tell you and you can learn from that.”

[Bears NFL Scouting Combine primer: What Poles, Johnson are up to during crucial week]

According to OverTheCap.com, the Bears have just over $79 million in cap space this offseason, the 4th most in the NFL. Even with the good vibes stemming from the pairing of Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, a team with a 5-12 record is far from complete.

“If there are certain players that kind of hit all the checked boxes that you need, there’s really no reason to hold back. I feel like you can be aggressive in those situations.”

The Bears have been mostly linked to free agents who can help in the trenches – including Chiefs guard Trey Smith, Colts center Ryan Kelly and Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat.

Check out the latest Bears on the Marquee podcast on the Marquee Sports Network app.