The Chicago Bears have one task for the rest of the 2024 season: to set themselves up for a playoff run in 2025.
There was a brief moment when Chicago looked like a potential playoff team right now, but that moment seems to have been extinguished. A Hail Mary loss to the Washington Commanders and a curb-stomping at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals has dropped the Bears to 4-4, with one of the NFL's toughest remaining schedules.
The future of the offense is in the hands of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who has had some impressive games despite typical first-year ups and downs. But adding marquee talent to the defense while Williams is still on his rookie contract could pay massive dividends for the Bears down the road.
Though the Bears have Montez Sweat under contract, edge rusher still looks like a position of need moving forward. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department predicted the Bears would sign Dallas Cowboys four-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency this spring.
"For the second offseason in a row, edge-defender will be one of the biggest needs in Chicago. Darrell Taylor is an impending free agent and has been more average than good this season, so it's hard to say if the club will bring him back," the authors said.
"The front office should look into signing Lawrence, as he has a long track record of success. Granted, the 32-year-old has missed the majority of this season with a foot injury, but he's scheduled to return soon and has been disruptive over the last few years, logging 13 sacks and 23 TFL since 2022."
Lawrence will be 33 in April, so this offseason will likely be his last opportunity to sign a big contract. He's finishing up a three-year, $40 million Dallas deal that included two Pro Bowl appearances, so he's unlikely to accept much of a discount this time around.
Aging veterans going through injury struggles can be risky signings, but Lawrence has looked good enough when healthy to negate some of that stress. Chicago has the cap space available to take such a risk in a case like this.