Discussion about the Bears possibly pursuing Cleveland wide receiver Jarvis Landry is understandable, if he were to come available.
Although not a free agent now, the Cleveland Browns reportedly could decide to trade or cut their five-time Pro Bowl receiver.
Of course the Bears should be interested in Landry then but there is another 29-year-old player besides Landry who has become available now and interest from Chicago general manager Ryan Poles would make some sense.
Former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens is searching for a new team after being released. The 29-year-old linebacker has team ties to both Poles and Bears coach Matt Eberflus.
Hitchens was initially a fourth-round linebacker drafted by Dallas when Eberflus was the Cowboys linebackers coach. He was under Eberflus’ guidance for three years. In fact, when Hitchens became a free agent there was much speculation he would wind up in Indianapolis because Eberflus had gone there as defensive coordinator.
Instead, he wound up in Kansas City. Poles was working in personnel there at the time, although not involved on the pro side as much as the college end.
The Bears need linebackers, especially those suited to play in the 4-3. Hitchens has played all but one of his eight NFL seasons as a linebacker in a 4-3. He has experience playing all three linebacker positions in a 4-3 but was more involved as a middle linebacker in Dallas, and then played some weakside and strong side as well.
The Bears haven’t voiced exact plans but Roquan Smith appears to be better suited for the playmaking role in the 4-3 of weakside linebacker.
The Bears had Alec Ogletree at one inside linebacker spot last year with Smith but he’s a year older than Hitchens and never had close to the same level of 4-3 experience. Ogletree had spent farmore time in a 3-4 and is scheduled to be a free agent in March.
Hitchens played only one year in a 3-4 with the Chiefs and then in 2019 they won the Super Bowl after new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo put in the 4-3. Hitchens led that Chiefs team in tackles with 88. He was second behind Nick Bolton last year with 80. With Dallas, three of the first four defenses he played on finished top 10 against the run. All of his Dallas defenses were the 4-3.
Hitchens would be no Bears long-term answer at linebacker as they would need to bring in a draft pick or two, but he would be younger and more experienced in the 4-3 than either Ogletree or Danny Trevathan.
Hitchens was making $9 million last year but it seems obvious by his being cut that those days have passed.
A better fit when free agency actually begins might be Cleveland’s Anthony Walker Jr., who played in the defense at Indianapolis and is just 26 years old.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
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