Chicago Bears 2015 Free Agents include Stephen Paea and Charles Tillman

The Chicago Bears may not have a general manager in place as of today, but the team has a number of players they'll need to make a decision on that have expiring contracts. There are three types of free agents.

Unrestricted Free agents (UFA) can sign with any team they so choose.

Restricted Free Agents (RFA) have three accrued seasons in the NFL and they can sign an offer sheet with a different team, but the current team has the right to match. The RFAs current team must sign the player to a tender in order to retain right of first refusal. For more details on the different types of tenders, check out our sister site, Cincy Jungle, who breaks it all down.

Exclusive Rights Free Agent (ERFA) is a player that is not under contract, but has only one or two years experience. If his former team makes him a contract offer at the two or three year veteran minimum (depending on his service time), he has to return to his former team. No other team may negotiate with ERFAs unless his former team decides they don't want them back.

Editor: Data was pulled from both Spotrac, Rotoworld and Over The Cap because each has slightly different information!

Here are Chicago's UFAs

Lance Briggs OLB
Charles Tillman CB
Chris Conte S
D.J. Williams ILB
Stephen Paea DT
Brain de la Puente C/OG
Jimmy Clausen QB
Sherrick McManis CB
Danny McCray S
Trevor Scott DE
Dante Rosario TE
Josh Morgan WR
Jeremy Cain LS
Darryl Sharpton LB
Eben Britton OL
Zach Miller TE
Montell Owens FB
Jay Feely K
Austen Lane DE

I think the Bears may move on from Lance Briggs. He made $6.5 million last year, his 2nd consecutive injury plagued season, plus some of his off field shenanigans may not sit well with the new regime.

Charles Tillman has expressed a desire to play in 2015, but we'll have to wait how he checks out medically, and if the new defensive coordinator has use for a 34 year old corner. If he's healthy, I think he brings value to a team, but not at the $3 million he made last year. Tillman has always played special teams, so even if he's not a #1 or #2 corner, he'll still be on the field.

I've always liked what Stephen Paea brings to the defense, but he's never been able to put together an injury free season. Until 2014. He had a Pro Bowl worthy season, even though he didn't make it, but the Bears will no doubt see how the market shakes out at his position. Also if the Bears move to a 3-4 defense, he may not be an ideal fit.

The Bears don't have any RFAs on the roster, unless the NFL recognizes Zach Miller as only having three seasons. He has only appeared in regular season games in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Every other season he was injured. Over the cap has him as an RFA, while Spotrac has him as an UFA. The only thing I know for certain is he's not an ERFA.

Here are Chicago's ERFAs

Al Louis-Jean CB
DeDe Lattimore LB
Demontre Hurst CB

I would'nt be surprised to see the Bears bring all three of these guys back to compete in camp.

What are your thoughts on these free agents and the possibility of the Bears bringing them back?