The Chicago Bears are not one player away from contention. Of that, there really is no question. Despite the early strides of second-year GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox, the Bears have holes at plenty of spots on their roster. That's exactly why there's such mystery surrounding the No. 11 pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. A defensive tackle? Sure. An offensive tackle? Why not. Heck, another wide receiver, only a year after making Kevin White a top-10 pick? Literally anything is possible.
That's why, though the Bears remain more than one player away from serious contention, it really wouldn't be surprising to hear that Pace and Fox have made a play for unexpected free agent cornerback Josh Norman, despite the gargantuan price tag that comes with him.
According to a handful of reports, that's exactly what the Bears brass is doing.
Sure, the Bears and Pace would probably prefer to continue building through the draft, almost assuredly have their sights set solely on the first round later this month.
But when a player of Norman's ilk suddenly becomes available, you've got no choice but to stop and gauge the possibility of adding him to a defensive backfield that, beyond Kyle Fuller, is mostly full of aging veterans almost begging Chicago to find suitable young replacements.
That, though, is exactly why the Bears shouldn't spend big on Norman.
Norman, despite only coming into national prominence over the past year or two, is already 28. Tracy Porter, a Super Bowl-winner with the New Orleans Saints now entering his ninth NFL season and coming off a strong season for Chicago is 29.
Norman has taken part in just four NFL seasons, played more than sparingly in just three. Beyond his impressive play in 2015, there's a reason he's seeking such a big payday - early reports indicate he's looking for $14 million-plus per season and holding out hope for $15 million.
He knows that coming into his own at this late date means he may have one chance at a big-time NFL contract. He, rightfully so, wants to make the most of it.
But the Bears, despite $22 million in cap space and clear need for a guy like Norman, shouldn't be the ones to give it to him.
Again, they may not be punting on the 2016 NFL season just yet, but Pace and Fox surely know that the team remains at least one offseason, maybe two away from serious contention. And that's assuming all goes according to plan.
At that point, the Bears would have paid out serious money to Norman, a player either into his 30s or very close to crossing that often career-closing benchmark.
Some will of course argue that Norman developing at a later stage means less wear and tear on his body and thus, a longer career arc.
And that's possible.
But it's not like Norman wasn't playing football for those years before he broke into the NFL consciousness. He just wasn't doing it at a high level on Sundays.
Really, the Bears should just do what they've already been doing - making smart, low-cost free agent signings and focusing their attention on the draft.
If a player like Norman suddenly becomes available a year, maybe two from now, sure, go nuts.
But for now, the Bears should stay the course and avoid tying themselves to an older, expensive guy like Norman.
