Chicago Bears offseason

[raw]

DE
On Roster- Montez Sweat, Dominique Robinson, DeMarcus Walker
FAs- Yannick Ngakoue, Rasheem Green
Futures Contracts- Khalid Kareem, Daniel Hardy

FA Outlook-  DE and DT kind of go hand-in-hand to me. The Bears need to focus their attention in the defensive trenches, probably even above all else. They need to probably add 2-4 players between the 2 positions. The big debate internally will be quality vs quantity. There's the potential to spend some big money here. And there's potential to add depth pieces. Of note, the Bears DC (Eric Washington) rotated 8 guys on the DL in Buffalo the last couple years, so that's a clear possibility if you don't get a 70% snap guy opposite of Sweat. Flus mentioned specifically speed rusher as a desire. Robinson was a healthy inactive after the Sweat trade, should have legit competition brought in to take his roster spot.

FA Targets- 
Big money (13M+) targets- Danielle Hunter (rumored interest), Dorance Armstrong, Bryce Huff, Jonathan Greenard, Chase Young
Depth targets- AJ Epenesa (ties to DC), Josh Uche, DJ Wonnum, Michael Danna, Shaq Lawson, Derek Barnett, Clelin Ferrell

Draft Outlook- The draft outlook at DE is very interesting. If the Bears take Williams at 1, and don't get a 2nd round pick back in a Fields trade, they could be deciding at 9 whether they value DE2 or WR2 the most at 9 with no picks until 75. Obviously, this would be dictated by free agency and they have the potential to trade back to get another pick to draft both WR2 and DE2. But the DE class is pretty top heavy without a lot of really good options when the Bears would likely be picking for the 3rd time in this draft, even with a trade down from 9. 

DT
On Roster- Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens
FAs- Justin Jones
Futures Contracts- Michael Dwumfour

FA Outlook- See above. If the Bears spend big at DE, they'll go cheap at DT. If they go big at DT, they'll go cheaper at DE. A lot of that decision depends on what they think about Dexter. If they love Dexter and think he can be the ideal 3-technique, they'll go cheaper. But they may have no choice as there is only 1 big time FA available, on paper. Bringing back Justin Jones, who was really solid down the stretch is also an option here. Not having to play a ton of snaps helped keep Jones fresh and productive. And he is on the same tier as many of the depth targets I list below. Also, remember Walker plays inside here so the depth isn't as dire as it appears, but need to add at least 1 guy on the interior.

FA Targets- 
Big money targets- Christian Wilkins (best FA on market?)
Depth targets- Sheldon Rankins, Quinton Jefferson, Javon Kinlaw, Grover Stewart, Teair Tart, Tim Settle, Adam Butler

Draft Outlook- Similar to DE in that there's a couple guys at the top and then a bunch of developmental guys after. Even the top 2 guys are probably huge reaches at 9 so they wouldn't come into play unless there's a trade down. I do like some of the developmental guys. Among them are a couple of highly recruited guys who flashed early and had some injury/usage issues. If you believe in Dexter and Pickens, adding another guy in that vein with a DC who's primary coaching history is on the D-line is intriguing.

LB
On Roster- Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards, Noah Sewell, Jack Sanborn
FAs- Dylan Cole
Futures Contracts- Micah Baskerville

FA Outlook- The Bears spent crazy here last year, which is why they don't need to do so this year. They did keep 5 LBs last year, and FA Cole was a key special teams piece. Worst case, they need another guy to cover kicks.

FA Targets- I don't see any reason to list potential special team LB5s. Baskerville can potentially do that, and had a strong preseason last year.

Draft Outlook- The Bears also drafted Sewell last year, despite spending crazy as well, which is why they don't need to do so this year. With only 5 picks at this time, taking a LB would be a waste.

CB
On Roster- Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Terrell Smith, Jaylon Jones, Greg Stroman
FAs- Josh Blackwell (RFA)
Futures Contracts- NONE

FA Outlook- Usually keep 6 CBs, Bears have 6 under contract and I'm guessing will tender Blackwell a deal. Guys like Jones, Stroman and Blackwell can all be upgraded as CBs, but all are key special teams players. Any FA signings will be bottom of 53-man tier.

Potential FA targets- I don't have any in particular, but CB5/6 types maybe

Draft Outlook- This is the first position I don't see the Bears drafting at all with their current picks. If they are able to get a 5th, 6th or 7th, maybe there's a developmental or special teams ace here, but the Bears are as set at CB as anyone is at any position in the league.

Safety
On Roster- Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks, Quindell Johnson, Tarvarius Moore
FAs- Eddie Jackson
Futures Contracts- Adrian Colbert, Douglas Coleman

FA Outlook- Despite 4 names, this position isn't very deep. Johnson was a waiver claim pre-season last season, but played just 35 defensive snaps despite the starters missing 7 games combined. Moore was signed yesterday and has 41 snaps since 2020. Hicks was one of my least favorite Poles picks and he was terrible when he had to play last year. Ideally, the 5 that are not Brisker would be competing for 1 spot. This is a DEEP FA safety class and typically a slow moving market so the Bears should be able to find a bargain (or two?) here.

Potential FA targets- Xavier McKinney (highest priced?), Geno Stone, Kamren Curl, Julian Blackmon (Flus ties), Jordan Fuller, Alohi Gilman (Notre Dame), Darnell Savage, Deshon Elliott, Quandre Diggs, Jordan Whitehead, Kevin Byard (visited Halas Hall this week), Justin Simmons, Jordan Poyer, Brandon Jones

Draft Outlook- While this is a really good FA class, it's a pretty weak draft class with potentially no 1st rounders. As I said, ideally the Bears add 2 safeties, so 1 FA and 1 in the draft is possible. There's probably no 1st rounders at this position and only 3-4 second rounders, IMO. Unless a guy falls (and Bears get a pick betwene 9-75), a safety pick would be 3rd or 4th round.

[jersey cubs fan]

22 minutes ago, raw said:

If they keep Fields, they likely won't draft a QB, though I guess they could take one late in the draft, where they don't current have picks, so I won't get into those options.

RB
On roster- Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Khari Blasingame
FAs- D'Onta Foreman
Futures contracts- NONE

FA Outlook- This is a pretty loaded FA class of RBs. And I know it's not popular, but I'd take full advantage of this FA class. Frankly, I think Herbert was borderline unplayable on pass downs. He's a terrible pass blocker and he doesn't provide anything as a receiver outside of the screen and true checkdown game. Herbert is a FA after the season, so adding a guy could allow you to trade him and get something from him before he walks for nothing after 2024. And whereas other positions you're going to pay well over 20Mil for a superstar, the top RBs on the market on only projected to get 10-12M/year depending on where you get your projections. Homer is interesting. Played for Waldron in Seattle, so may have value as RB3

Potential FA targets- Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs- top tier 10M AAV. Tony Pollard, Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift- 2nd tier 6-8M AAV. Devin Singletary, Zach Moss, Alexander Mattison- 3rd tier. I'd aim 2nd tier here, but wouldn't dismiss the top tier. 

Draft Outlook- This is not a great RB class, but a lot of guys I really like with nice combinations of size and big play ability.
Jaylen Wright, Tenn; Johnathan Brooks, Texas (has torn ACL); Marshawn Lloyd, USC; Isaac Guerendo, Louisville; are my top fits.

WR
On Roster- DJ Moore, Tyler Scott, Velus Jones, Collin Johnson
FAs- Equanimeous St Brown, Darnell Mooney, Trent Taylor
Futures Contracts- Joe Reed, Nsimba Webster

FA Outlook- As usual, not a great FA WR class. Calvin Ridley, Gabriel Davis, and our very own Mooney are the top guys on the market. Ridley and Davis will be over the desired price tag for a WR2/3 and it feels like bridges have been burned with Mooney, who actually would be a great fit with Waldron. The 2nd and 3rd tiers are very interesting and I think the Bears adding a guy from these tiers largely depends on price. Think 2022 when they settled on Byron Pringle after the top guys proved to be overpriced. Thankfully, that's not as bad of an idea this year for a WR corps featuring DJ Moore and a top 10 pick in a loaded draft class.

Potential FA targets- 
Slot WRs- Curtis Samuel, Tyler Boyd, Calvin Ridley
Big play WRs- Noah Brown, Hollywood Brown, Gabriel Davis
There's always a ton of WR5/6's out there as well, but I won't list those guys as they would be competing with Velus and the practice squad guys from 2023.

Draft Outlook- Loaded draft class, there's some clear tiers here. Bears are likely hoping for one of the top 3 WRs to be there at 9 (Harrison Jr, Odunze, Nabers). Then there's about 2-3 guys that may be there with a trade down. Then another tier of guys who the Bears could pick from if they can get a 2nd round pick via trade at some point. And then some Day 3 guys that may get lost in the shuffle which would hopefully be the 2nd WR the Bears draft.

TE
On Roster- Cole Kmet
FAs- Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan
Futures Contracts- Stephen Carlson

FA Outlook- Interestingly, all 3 of the Seahawks TEs from this past year are free agents. I don't think Fant will be an option, his targets and production were lower last 2 years under Waldron than they were in Denver before the Russ trade. I don't see him signing up for more of that in Chicago, while now playing 2nd fiddle to Kmet when he was TE1A in Seattle. Dissly was clear TE3 based on snap count, I don't see any reason to move him up to TE2 in Chicago. But Parkinson is a guy I'd really be interested in as TE2. Same role he played in Seattle, big dude (6'7) who's just 25. I'd take back Lewis as TE3 if he wants to play his age 40 season. Tonyan is as good as gone. If the Bears want a younger version of Marcedes Lewis, there's former Chicago Bear, MyCole Pruitt, who's a FA.

Potential FA targets- Colby Parkinson, Harrison Bryant, Brycen Hopkins, old friend Jesper Horstead, best player in the league MyCole Pruitt

Draft Outlook- Brock Bowers is the elephant in the room here and seems likely to be on the board at 9. I'd love Bowers in lieu of a WR in the 1st round, but I just don't think the Bears are going to take a TE top 10 after paying Kmet big money. I know Waldron likes to play 2 TEs, but even he doesn't play 2 TEs 90% of the time, which would be needed to make it worth a top 10 pick. I do think a Day 3 pick could come into play here, but the Bears are now short on picks at this point. May be Carlson's job to lose or very cheap or UDFA market as competition.

OT
On Roster- Braxton Jones, Darnell Wright, Larry Borom, Aviante Collins
FAs- NONE
Futures Contracts- Roy Mbaketa

FA Outlook- So with 2 capable starters on the bookends, the Bears probably are looking at guys to potentially push Borom out or guys like Collins, who if you're like me, you vaguely remember signing last year before he missed the season with injury. But I guess he's still under contract just like Mbaketa from the international program. 

Potential FA targets- Yosh Njiman, GB- has played both sides decently in a pinch. Cam Fleming, Den; Billy Turner, NYJ; 

Draft Outlook- Another loaded draft position, IMO. The Bears probably aren't looking to draft a guy with the 9th pick, but if a guy like Joe Alt is there, there has to be a lot of temptation. There's a bunch of guys that could go around the 7-15 range, but Alt is the only one I think the Bears would take as he's clearing the field a bit as OT1. Poles mentioned the OT position as having a ton of depth, so this may be a lowkey spot they add a guy late. 

IOL
On Roster- Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Ryan Bates, Ja'Tyre Carter
FAs- Cody Whitehair, Lucas Patrick, Dan Feeney
Futures Contracts- Jerome Carvin, Doug Kramer, not that Bill Murray

FA Outlook- The million dollar question: Is Bates here to be the starting C or interior depth? Ideally, he'd be a depth piece as both Jenkins and Davis are injury risks. My guess is the Bears price out the C market and if they can get a clear C1, they'll have Bates as depth, but if the top guys get too much, they'll bring in a guy to compete with Bates. Not really looking at FA guards here as starting OGs appear set between 2 of the top 3 guys. 

Potential FA targets- Lloyd Cushenberry, Connor Williams (ACL tear), Andre James, Evan Brown (Seattle), Tyler Biadasz, Aaron Brewer

Draft Outlook- I do think guards come into play in the draft, and the Bears ought to use a decently high pick here. Nobody really worthy of 9 here, but there's a ton of guys that I'd be interested in anywhere from a trade down to 15 to their 3rd round pick at 75. 

In the unlikely event that they keep Fields, they’d absolutely still have to draft a QB somewhere.  That would likely entail trading out from 1 and getting a haul, including 2nd day picks this year.  You can’t go Fields/Bagent/Peterman?. Keep the pipeline flowing. 

[Wilson A2000]

For all the Fields defenders, what the Bears will end up getting for him will show just how below average he is. At this point, any draft pick will do. He can't stay on as a backup with the Bears even if the return is incredibly weak because that's going to put unnecessary pressure on Williams if he starts out the season struggling. 

Edited March 10, 2024 by Wilson A2000

[jersey cubs fan]

1 hour ago, raw said:

Safety
On Roster- Jaquan Brisker, Elijah Hicks, Quindell Johnson, Tarvarius Moore
FAs- Eddie Jackson
Futures Contracts- Adrian Colbert, Douglas Coleman

FA Outlook- Despite 4 names, this position isn't very deep. Johnson was a waiver claim pre-season last season, but played just 35 defensive snaps despite the starters missing 7 games combined. Moore was signed yesterday and has 41 snaps since 2020. Hicks was one of my least favorite Poles picks and he was terrible when he had to play last year. Ideally, the 5 that are not Brisker would be competing for 1 spot. This is a DEEP FA safety class and typically a slow moving market so the Bears should be able to find a bargain (or two?) here.

Potential FA targets- Xavier McKinney (highest priced?), Geno Stone, Kamren Curl, Julian Blackmon (Flus ties), Jordan Fuller, Alohi Gilman (Notre Dame), Darnell Savage, Deshon Elliott, Quandre Diggs, Jordan Whitehead, Kevin Byard (visited Halas Hall this week), Justin Simmons, Jordan Poyer, Brandon Jones

Draft Outlook- While this is a really good FA class, it's a pretty weak draft class with potentially no 1st rounders. As I said, ideally the Bears add 2 safeties, so 1 FA and 1 in the draft is possible. There's probably no 1st rounders at this position and only 3-4 second rounders, IMO. Unless a guy falls (and Bears get a pick betwene 9-75), a safety pick would be 3rd or 4th round.

Apparently they have deal with Byard. 
 

the Jr Eagles are back 

[Wilson A2000]

PFF had Byard as the 11th best safety last year. I’ll take that.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

2 hours ago, Wilson A2000 said:

For all the Fields defenders, what the Bears will end up getting for him will show just how below average he is. At this point, any draft pick will do. He can't stay on as a backup with the Bears even if the return if incredibly weak because that's going to put unnecessary pressure on Williams if he starts out the season struggling. 

It's been a long process for three years of being in denial for Bears fans, always blaming everyone else, because sports are supposed to be fun and it's more fun to believe in a guy like Justin Fields.  

Fortunately, Williams will also be fun to root for.
 

[Tryptamine]

Russell Wilson to the Steelers. Things are looking pretty dire for a Fields trade. a 3rd is probably your best case scenario at this point.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I kinda think Pittsburgh trade helps with trading fields? I thought there was a real chance they stuck with Pickett.

Minnesota, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Denver are still looking and currently outside of top-3 in the draft and there's only one cousins.

They could try to draft one of the second-tier guys but there's competition for them (teams like NYG, NO, Seattle) so they aren't guaranteed.

There's reasons why all four shouldn't want him (scheme fit, Getsy reunion) but who knows.

[Tryptamine]

With the secondary seemingly already completed. What's left that they direly need to address outside of QB/WR2/C/Edge? 

[Wilson A2000]

Would they keep Soldier Field? The columns are protected, right? 

[Tim]

9 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

With the secondary seemingly already completed. What's left that they direly need to address outside of QB/WR2/C/Edge? 

3T could be on the list unless you really like last year's picks.

[UMFan83]

1 hour ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Would they keep Soldier Field? The columns are protected, right? 

No they lost landmark status after whoever decides on those things saw what the stadium was turned into post-rennovation.  Soldier Field will be a parking lot most likely if they build this stadium.

[Brian707]

1 hour ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Would they keep Soldier Field? The columns are protected, right? 

The columns need to stay it sounds like but the spaceship can be destroyed. Its going to be an even bigger PIA to get down there for a game than it is now.  Supposedly they polled city residents and 60% wanted to stay within the city limits. I would imagine though 75% of the fans that are season ticket holders live in the suburbs.

[Rex Buckingham]

 

 

Edited March 11, 2024 by Rex Buckingham

[Tryptamine]

I keep seeing all these Saquon Barkley rumors and since the Bears are down to 55ish M in cap, more like 30-35M after the draft and in season acquisitions money is removed, I'm not sure that I want 12M of that thrown at a RB. If they're going to splurge then splurge on Hunter or Wilkins and pick up a true starting center, Address WR/QB through the draft and let's run that out for 2024.  

[17 Seconds]

 

[BigSlick]

I'm ok with spending a little bit on RB. Typically i'm not for putting a lot of money into this position but they're gonna be a run heavy team and Herbert has dropped a bit in my estimation. Roschon seems promising but not a real workhorse back. Plus we have unlimited cap space so, whatever. 

But make sure to allocate some money on some horsefeathers Lineman, god damn. 

Edited March 11, 2024 by BigSlick

[Bertz]

 

 

[Tryptamine]

4 minutes ago, Bertz said:

 

 

This is the big play name I was interested in if they insisted on rb. He's cheaper, a good receiver and can take it to the house anytime he touches it.

[WrigleyField 22]

Kind of a lot (including guarantees) imo.

Poles hitting up lower valuation positions with strong mid-level money to start offseason...

[UMFan83]

I actually like that a lot better than Barkley or Jacobs.  Lot less tread on the tires, can be used more out of the passing game, doesn't have to be a 3 down back so giving carries to Roshon too. 

That said, I still feel weird with a RB being our primary FA target.

[Tryptamine]

4 minutes ago, WrigleyField 22 said:

Kind of a lot (including guarantees) imo.

Poles hitting up lower valuation positions with strong mid-level money to start offseason...

Unfortunately it probably puts an end to getting either of the top 2 edge rushers. 

[BigbadB]

I like the Sweat signing, even though I wasn't a big fan of spending free agency money at that position. His ability to catch and run will add more weapons to the offense. Need more weapons! 

 

[WrigleyField 22]

4 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Unfortunately it probably puts an end to getting either of the top 2 edge rushers. 

I actually would be fine without being at top end of DE market.  I think Bears could have done a lot of damage at premiums spots in wave 2 and built out both staters and depth.  But there's probably like 10M of excess value what you could have sunk into S and RB and gotten decent production.  Hope Byard is ageless and Swift stay healthy.

 

But if Bears wanna spend like a team with real playoff aspirations, whatever.  If they spend like a team still rebuilding, I don't like it.

[BigbadB]

3 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Unfortunately it probably puts an end to getting either of the top 2 edge rushers. 

I don't expect them to sign the biggest names at EDGE anyway. They already had a solid foundation. Fill with mid to upper tier talent at bargain prices.