Ryan Poles has been very cautious in free agency in the past. Is that, in your opinion, a reflection of who has been available or Poles being afraid to pull the trigger? — Steve, Chicago

I would disagree that Poles has been “very cautious.” The Bears were bargain shoppers in 2022, his first year, largely because they were tight on salary-cap space and wound up carrying a bunch of dead money to straighten out the books.

Since then the Bears have been relatively busy in free agency, and while they haven’t written a lot of really large contracts, those can turn into bad deals quickly. In 2023, they signed Tremaine Edmunds to a four-year, $72 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid off-the-ball linebackers in the league. That same offseason, guard Nate Davis received a three-year, $30 million contract, defensive end DeMarcus Walker signed for $21 million over three years and weak-side linebacker T.J. Edwards got a three-year, $19.5 million deal.

Running back D’Andre Swift (two years, $24.5 million), safety Kevin Byard (two years, $15 million) and tight end Gerald Everett (two years, $12 million) signed with the Bears in free agency last year.

The Bears haven’t been the most aggressive team in free agency the past couple of years, but they’ve spent a good deal of money. Poles has been relatively calculated and is perfectly willing to “pull the trigger,” as you say. Some additions have worked better than others, and I would imagine the Bears will be aggressive in pursuing offensive linemen and potentially some defensive linemen this year.

I think some folks have put way too much stock in the idea the Bears have a boatload of available cap space. That’s a good thing and it gives them flexibility, but you can’t build the framework for a perennial contender via free agency. The Bears have been entirely too reliant on free agency over the last two decades or so, mostly because they’ve been unsuccessful at stocking certain positions via the draft. Free agency should be a means to plug a hole here or there. So a measured approach is always prudent.

What is the ideal Plan B at guard if Trey Smith stays in Kansas City? — @lastwordonbears

The question probably should be what is Plan B at guard if Smith remains with the Chiefs or signs elsewhere. More than half of the league projects to have in excess of $30 million in available cap space. The Bears can make some moves to create more space, and so can a whole bunch of other teams. My point is there would be competition for Smith if he reaches free agency.

The Bears can go in many different directions if they don’t acquire Smith. I’d keep in mind they ideally need two guards and a center, and that’s before having a conversation about the left tackle situation. There’s a decent chance Alabama guard Tyler Booker will be available at No. 10 in the first round. If the Bears believe he can be a mainstay on the line for seasons to come, that’s not too early to select an interior lineman, especially if you’re OK with paying Smith $22 million a year or more in free agency.

Philadelphia’s Mekhi Becton, Indianapolis’ Will Fries and San Francisco’s Aaron Brooks are potential free-agent options. Becton played well for the Eagles this past season after a poor start to his career with the New York Jets. Teams will need to ask themselves how much of his improvement was related to the players around him. Fries is coming off a broken leg suffered in Week 5. Banks has 43 starts over the last three seasons and is an athletic guy who could check boxes the Bears are looking for.

Then there are short-term options like Detroit’s Kevin Zeitler, 34; Dallas’ Zack Martin, 34; or maybe even Jacksonville’s Brandon Scherff, 33. Those would be one-year fits and you’d probably be a little concerned about durability.

An early guess: If the Bears don’t wind up with Smith — for whatever reason — that would boost at least somewhat the chances they draft Booker. But the predraft evaluation process is just getting going and a lot can change.

It looks like the Bears are going to focus on the center/guard positions this offseason. After watching what Philadelphia’s defensive line did to Kansas City with its outside rush, is it realistic to think an average left tackle like Braxton Jones could stand up to a playoff-level pass rush? — Marc B., Nashville, Tenn.

I would not rule out the possibility the Bears land a new left tackle this offseason. If they do, I believe that would arrive in the form of a draft pick. You’d be looking at LSU’s Will Campbell or perhaps Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. I don’t know how Ohio State’s Josh Simmons will be evaluated. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. I saw him at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and that was likely an effort to get in front of some teams and meet with them.

Many variables will play into this decision. How does the new coaching staff evaluate Jones? What kind of consensus do the Bears reach on the top left tackle prospects in the draft? Who will be on the board when they pick at No. 10? What pieces for the offensive line makeover will Ryan Poles be able to add first in free agency? Which other positions can be upgraded in free agency and how significant will those moves be? The first week or so of free agency likely will leave some clues as to which direction the Bears will be going in the draft, but they need to remain fluid and stay true to their board.

I’d point out that the Lions used first-round picks on running back Jahmyr Gibbs and linebacker Jack Campbell in 2023. I’m referencing this not because I think new Bears coach Ben Johnson had major sway in the draft room in Detroit but because — at the time — that first-round haul was roundly criticized. Gibbs wasn’t viewed as an every-down running back, and stack linebackers have been devalued over the last decade or so. The Lions went with players they felt had great value and fit their culture, and GM Brad Holmes nailed both picks. Maybe they weren’t the team’s biggest needs — although linebacker was a need at the time — but the Lions got players they can build around.

Poles has to come out of this draft with players he can build around, and he can’t risk forcing a pick that might not have the same ceiling or draft grade as others because the player fills a need.

As far as Jones holding up at left tackle against a “playoff-level pass rush,” the Chiefs were in a tough spot in the Super Bowl when they had to move standout guard Joe Thuney to left tackle. The Bears won’t emerge from this offseason with offensive and defensive lines ready to rival what the Eagles have built. That takes time and multiple offseasons of importing the right kind of players and then developing them. If they can build an offensive line better equipped to stand up against NFC North competition, that would be a good place to start.