In the months leading up to the NFL’s free agency period, front offices spend way too much time evaluating way too many big-name free agents who, upon first blush, seem like a perfect team fit.
But that might be because they’re big-name free agents. And a big-name doth not always a perfect fit make.
To that end, ESPN’s Seth Walder listed five available players who the Chicago Bears—or, heck, who every team in the league—should avoid giving a fat contract.
Sam Darnold (QB)
- The Bears are set at quarterback, so Sammy is more than welcome to sling elsewhere.
Do We Agree With ESPN: Frankly, we don’t really care.
Amari Cooper (WR)
- Cooper is an intriguing option for the Midway Monsters, especially if Keenan Allen doesn’t re-sign. Some pundits have cited Chicago as an ideal landing spot for the 30-year-old, but Spotrac has his market value clocking in at $14.1, a scootch pricey for a WR3.
Do We Agree With ESPN: Yep. If Bears GM Ryan Poles can convince Cooper to take, say, $10 million, then we can talk.
Tershawn Wharton (DE)
- Spotrac feels that the 27-year-old could/should garner a $7.4 million/year deal, a seemingly reasonable number for a guy who racked up 6.5 sacks last year—which would’ve been tops on the Bears in 2024—and played in all 17 games.
Do We Agree With ESPN: Nope. If the Bears can’t lock down a Trey Hendrickson trade, or a Joey Bosa signing, Wharton could be a slick and affordable option.
Najee Harris (RB)
- It’s tough to get a concrete read on this fantasy football darling, as he’s spent the majority of his career in Pittsburgh sharing a backfield with Jaylen Warren. Can he be a bell-cow? Harris unquestionably thinks so. The rest of us have no clue.
Do We Agree With ESPN: Absolutely. Harris hasn’t missed a single game in his four-year career, so there’s plenty of tape on the guy, thus the Bears would know what they’re getting: Another D’Andre Swift. Poles would be way better off grabbing a running back on day two of the NFL Draft.
Paulson Adebo (CB)
- What with eventually-perennial All-Pro Jaylon Johnson and the potential-laden, albeit problematic Tyrique Stevenson patrolling the defensive backfield, the Bears don’t need to bring in a too-pricey starting-level corner.
Do We Agree With ESPN: Totally. The 2025 free agent class is loaded with talented twentysomething defensive backs—Byron Murphy and Charvarius Ward come to mind—so if you’re going to overpay somebody, overpay a beast.