There is a new sheriff in town now. Head coach Ben Johnson has come to Chicago and promised to right the ship bringing glory back to the Bears. If he can do it, that will be amazing for the team and their fans. But there is significant work that must be done, first, to make sure that the Bears get it right and are headed in the proper direction. They must look at their free agent players and decide what to do with them.
There are three key free agents that the Bears must attend to, properly, if they are to have success in the upcoming 2025 season. These three free agents could either resign and contribute to the future of the team, or they could be allowed to walk and leave what promises to be a decent group in the future. Just how much could the Bears miss one of these three free agents?
Let’s find out.
Three Chicago Bears Free Agents the Bears Must Decide On
Keenan Allen
The first free agent that the Bears have going out to test the waters is one that was supposed to have a huge impact on the team in 2024 but didn’t have that huge impact. Keenan Allen, the long-lived wide receiver formerly of the Los Angeles Chargers, was brought to Chicago to lend a hand to newly minted starter Caleb Williams in his first year in the league.
Allen was supposed to be “that guy”. The go-to target, the mentor, and a leader on the team. While Allen was a leader, he wasn’t that productive but that’s not entirely his fault. He managed to grab 70 passes out of 121 targets. Allen was able to gain 744 yards and score seven touchdowns. While these numbers may not appear to be bad on their face, when you look at some of the situations that he was in where a play needed to be made, he dropped balls at times. Six times to be exact.
The Bears are likely not going to bring Allen back. They are likely going to go with the two main guys that they have, DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, and fill in from there. This will leave Allen free to return to the Los Angeles Chargers where he will likely play one more season before retiring.
Teven Jenkins
Teven Jenkins, a free agent guard, has had a much-criticized career because of injury and a certain level of play he has had. In 2024, Jenkins was able to play in 738 snaps allowing four sacks while garnering four total penalties. His game total for 2024 was 13.
Some say they don’t know why Jenkins is criticized like he has been. It has something to do with him not living up to his potential. Jenkins was a second-round pick in 2021 and has shown some flashes, but his career has been less than stellar. The Bears are likely going to move on from him and look elsewhere for someone to fill his spot.
It’s time to cut ties and move on from him.
Travis Homer
Finally, you have free agent running back Travis Homer. Some people might be scratching their heads wondering why Homer is even worthy of being mentioned here. It’s simple. Johnson’s offensive uses the running backs as sort of a centerpiece. In Detroit, he had former Bears David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs as his feature backs. They were tough to stop. Because they were so good, play-action passing was a solid staple of that powerful Detroit offense.
Homer could come into play here because the Bears are going to need solid running backs for this offense to work. Right now, they have DeAndre Swift, Roschon Johnson, and Darryton Evans to go along with Homer. You don’t notice any big names in that group. Johnson has a lot of potential and could stick with the team. Swift is not the “banger back” that the offense needs but does have some value.
Homer is a guy that could turn into the type of back that is needed for this offense. The coaching staff needs to take a long look at him and try to decide if he will be one of the two backs featured in the offense. At any rate, they will need backups, and Homer could fit in as a reserve running back who could spell the starters from time to time.
Look for the Bears to keep Homer, for at least another season. He will help them get their running game going in 2025.
Main Image: Bob Kupbens – USA Today Sports
