NEWSLETTER
It is just about time for NFL free agents who want to play in 2024 but don’t have homes to get serious about finding a landing spot.
One name I’m keeping an eye on as a possible fit for the Chicago Bears is center Connor Williams. Now, it might not look like the best or most perfect fit as of right now, but I have an explanation. First, we’ll let ESPN’s Adam Schefter set the scene:
Schefty is reporting that Connor Williams is already chopping it up with multiple teams as he seeks a new football home for 2024. The long-time ESPN insider adds that Williams has his eyes on selecting a new squad before training camps get underway. Schefter doesn’t name-check any teams or offer up an inkling as to which ones could be fits. But it is tough for me to not think about the Bears as being a team that should be interested.
Connor Williams might be a fit for the Chicago Bears, but only if they’re creative
I’ve waffled when it comes to what I wanted to put in this section because there isn’t a clear cut answer for what the Bears should do here. In theory, Connor Williams *SHOULD* be someone who piques their interest. But things can be different in theory and in practice.
The 27-year-old offensive lineman has played tackle, guard, and center, but his best position moving forward is most likely center — where he has played his best ball the last two seasons as a member of the Miami Dolphins. And because the Bears entered the offseason with an outsized need at center, Connor Williams made sense as a possible target. Williams was Pro Football Focus’ second-highest-graded center (86.5 grade) before a season-ending knee injury knocked him off the field for the final eight games of the regular season. And it’s not as if Williams’ success is a one-year thing. He checked in as the fourth-best center in 2022 (78.4) and the 10th best offensive guard (75.2) in 2021.
Simply put, there is a quality in his track record track record there that I can’t ignore. There was a reason that Connor Williams was on our radar as a Bears fit in the offseason, even knowing that he was coming off an injury-shortened season. Patrick putting the dots together provided some additional perspective. More than three months later, I remain intrigued by the possibility of adding Williams to the offensive line’s depth.
However, I also understand that the Bears need at center isn’t as glaring now as it once was at the outset of the offseason. Hence, I fall short of banging the table for Chicago’s front office to reel him in.
General Manager Ryan Poles signed Coleman Shelton in free agency and is the projected starter at center. Poles also swung a trade for Ryan Bates, who has experience starting all over the line — including at center. With that in mind, I’m not sure I the Bears need another center on their roster. Then again, it might not hurt to kick the tires on Connor Williams and see if there is possible interest. After all, his positional flexibility and experience at guard could be useful when you consider that Teven Jenkins and Nate Davis have had recent stretches when they’ve been unavailable due to injuries. When it comes to depth, I’m a “the more, the merrier” kind of guy.
But still … that might be a tough fit to squeeze. Joining a team before the start of training camp makes sense. However, trying to acclimate a rookie quarterback with a new center (particularly one who is coming off a serious season-ending injury) sounds like an unnecessary hurdle. Caleb Williams already has enough on his plate trying to orchestrate an offense with a new coordinator and a bunch of new pieces — all while he is trying to get things like his cadence down. Getting him in a rhythm with a new center might not be a sensible thing to do at this time.
And then there is the money thing. At the start of free agency, Connor Williams was projected to get a three-year deal worth $7.5 million per year and include $12.5 million in guarantees. I’m not sure if the Bears’ best use of cap space would be on a third center option. Instead, finding a starting-caliber defensive end who is worth that contract would be a better use of remaining cap space. But with that being said, I don’t think I’d be all that upset if this front office targeted Williams as a longer-term option at the position. It’s just that is a tough thing to see right now.
