NFL free agency will be here before we know it, and the Chicago Bears have plenty of players set to hit the market. From key starters to valuable reserves, general manager Ryan Poles will have important decisions to make about who to bring back.
Here at Bears Wire, we’re going through each individual player and breaking down their 2022 performance and whether or not they fit in the Bears’ long-term plans.
Next up is Michael Schofield, who served as a key reserve along the interior of the offensive line for the Bears in 2022.
2022 stats
- 1 sack, 0 hits, 7 hurries, 8 pressures, 1 penalty (11 games)
2022 review
The Bears signed Schofield to a one-year deal last summer, where he was brought in to compete for a starting job. Schofield served as the primary reserve along the interior of the offensive line, where he stepped in when Cody Whitehair and Teven Jenkins suffered injuries during the 2022 season. Schofield wasn’t good enough to be a starter, but his versatility and experience served Chicago well with injuries along the interior. He played in 11 games, including five starts, as well as contributed on special teams.
Positional need: High
There’s no denying the biggest concerns facing the Bears this offseason are in the trenches, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. While Chicago had the league’s best run game all season, the offensive line struggled mightily in pass protection, where Justin Fields was sacked a league-high 55 times in 2022. Poles will evaluate every player at every position and has the resources to make upgrades where needed.
Chicago has multiple positions of need along the offensive line, starting with tackle and center. Jones showed potential at left tackle in his rookie season. We’ll see if Poles is willing to bet on Jones heading into 2023 or target both a replacement at left and right tackle. Mustipher won’t be back as the team’s starting center, and it’s unclear whether or not Poles will give Patrick another opportunity at center, especially entering the final year of his deal. Meanwhile, Jenkins looks like the guy at right guard, but the left side is a big question mark. With Whitehair’s massive $14.1 million cap hit in 2023, you have to imagine Poles will look to find a cheaper option.
The future
The offensive line will be a focal point for the Bears this offseason, and they could very well have a new starting five along the offensive line when the 2023 season begins. Poles has some important decisions to make at tackle, guard and center. While Schofield doesn’t factor into any plans as a starter, he provides versatility along the interior of the offensive line. He could be someone worth bringing back on a short-term deal to bring veteran experience to the group. But it also wouldn’t be a surprise if Chicago chose to move on, especially if there are upgrades to be made.
2023 free agency profiles
We’re highlighting the Bears’ most notable free agents set to hit the open market in March:
| David Montgomery | Nicholas Morrow | N’Keal Harry |
| DeAndre Houston-Carson | Riley Reiff | Byron Pringle |
| Sam Mustipher | Patrick Scales | Khari Blasingame |
| Angelo Blackson | Matt Adams | Michael Schofield |
| Mike Pennel (3/5) | Joe Thomas (3/6) | Armon Watts (3/7) |
| Dane Cruikshank (3/8) | Ryan Griffin (3/9) | Dante Pettis (3/10) |
