The Chicago Bears are slated to have a ton of cap space this coming offseason, meaning they could potentially be big players in the free-agent market.

ESPN’s Aaron Schatz expects the Bears to be very active, and he is even predicting that the team signs wide receiver Mike Evans in the spring.

“The Bears will use the No. 1 pick on a new quarterback and invest in that quarterback by signing Mike Evans, one of the top free-agent wide receivers,” Schatz wrote. “Evans has 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons and would pair nicely with DJ Moore in this offense.”

Evans is in the final year of his deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after failing to reach a long-term agreement with the club prior to the season.

Many expected the Buccaneers to shop Evans before the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline, but with Tampa Bay being in contention, it opted to keep the star wide out.

Evans hauled in 79 receptions for 1,255 yards and a league-leading 13 receiving touchdowns this year, leading to his fifth Pro Bowl selection.

Chicago began 2023 with a record of 0-4, but it bounced back to go a respectable 7-6 the rest of the way and could end up being a sleeper team next season.

Thanks to their trade with the Carolina Panthers last spring, the Bears own the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft plus their own first-rounder.

As a result, Chicago could end up being a fairly attractive free-agent destination, especially considering the fact that it already has a decent stable of talent on both sides of the ball.

A pass-catching tandem of Evans and Moore would certainly represent one of the more lethal duos in the league and would also make life a heck of a lot easier for a potential incoming rookie quarterback (or Justin Fields, if the Bears decide to keep him under center).

Evans will be one of the top available players available in March.

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