With less than a month until the Chicago Bears return to Halas Hall for the start of training camp, the team still has one final spot remaining on the 90-man roster.
Based on what we've seen out of practice so far this offseason, many believe the Bears front office should use the final vacant spot to add an outside free agent in the trenches, either on offense or defense.
However, a latest piece posted by The Draft Network's Justin Melo proposes an interesting solution for how the Bears should fill the final spot ahead of training camp.
Melo suggests that the Bears should explore signing free agent linebacker and former All-Pro Shaquille "Darius" Leonard. It's an interesting thought and not entirely far-fetched. Leonard has history with Bears' head coach Matt Eberflus, who served as Leonard's defensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts from 2018-2021.
During that span, Leonard was named as a First Team All-Pro selection in three separate seasons and was one of the best linebackers in the league. Beyond Eberflus, Leonard could also reunite with his former linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, who serves the same role on Eberflus' staff in Chicago.
Here's what Melo added about the potential fit, and reunion, in Chicago:
"The Bears have a trio of solid starting-caliber linebackers. T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, and Jack Sanborn will lead the line. Noah Sewell and Micah Baskerville are quality depth options. Signing with the Bears would remove any immediate pressure to perform from Leonard's shoulders while simply offering him an opportunity to compete for a 53-man roster spot. It would also reunite Leonard with arguably the two most important coaches in his professional career." The Draft Network's Justin Melo
Melo also listed the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans as potential fits for the former All-Pro star looking to get his career back on track.
“I’m more so just sitting back, getting the body healthy, and whenever the opportunity presents itself, we’ll give it a try,” Leonard said about playing this upcoming season a few days back. “I just continue to be me by working hard. If it happens, it happens. If it don’t, it don’t. I think throughout my career I’ve had a great career, even if I do step away from it... I’m enjoying life and just waiting on that opportunity.”
The fit for the Bears on paper looks like a great decision to make, saying that Eberflus and Borgonzi can help Leonard get back to playing at a high level once again. Even though the Bears have three capable players at the position, it doesn't hurt adding a talent like Leonard to the room and there's no downside to the signing.
The Bears front office have plenty of cap space, even once they sign quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze to their rookie contracts , to offer a veteran minimum contract lined with incentives to Leonard. After being waived by the Colts in November of last year, the Philadelphia Eagles were able to bring him in on just a $1.5 million deal for the rest of the season.
With the Colts and Eagles last season, Leonard still started 12 games and recorded 88 total tackles. It's not the All-Pro level of play teams were used to seeing out of him, but that's not what the Bears would be expecting out of him either.
Even if he doesn't pan out and land on the 53-man roster, it won't be a major blow to the team. The upside is there if the coaching staff can get the most out of Leonard and he can prove that the injuries that potentially derailed his career are behind him.
