The Chicago Bears contract situation going into 2018 is fascinating. They have no fewer than 19 expiring deals. That means GM Ryan Pace will be busy trying to sort through the players set to leave to see who he may or may not want to keep. This makes it easy to forget that those 19 players aren’t the only ones who might find themselves out of a Bears uniform come the end of March.
With a new coaching staff, there is always going to be changes. Matt Nagy is not John Fox. What he wants in players is going to be considerably different. This means aside from a small handful of names, nobody on the current roster could be considered totally safe. Could Pace end up doing a major roster purge?
While it’s unlikely he goes deep like he did in 2015, the odds favor a number of notable names on the roster getting axed. The reasons for most will be simple: they’re either too old, too expensive or both. Looking at the salary structure here are the names to watch and how their exit might impact the Bears’ free agency plans.
Mike Glennon (QB) – $11 million in possible cap gain
In the end, the Bears spent a lot of money for four games from Glennon. That’s how long he was able to keep Mitch Trubisky off the field. Not exactly what the team hoped for, but he was largely done in by a mix of poor coaching, poor surrounding talent, and his own mistakes. The Bears are not going to pay him starter money to sit on the bench.
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Josh Sitton (OG) – $7.9 million in possible cap gain
He may not be the premier star he was five years ago but Sitton was still more than serviceable last season. Still, he’s turning 32-years old in June and is in the last year of his contract. Are the Bears willing to pay the hefty price tag out of hope he can give them one more good season? This might end up being their toughest decision.
Pernell McPhee (OLB) – $7.07 million in possible cap gain
When healthy McPhee has shown he’s quite the combination of run stopper and adequate pass rusher. Therein lay the problem though. McPhee has dealt with a myriad of injuries since he arrived in Chicago from knee to shoulder problem. Now he’s turning 30-years old on top of that. It’s becoming difficult to justify that large contract anymore.
Dion Sims (TE) – $5.66 million in possible cap gain
The Bears believed Sims could provide a significant two-way capability for their offense. Not only was he a proven blocker, he also showcased promise as a receiving option as well. Long story short he disappointed in the latter category, frequently dropping catchable passes. With Adam Shaheen emerging, his role on the roster will diminish or disappear.
Bobby Massie (OT) – $5.58 million in possible cap gain
He’s not a Pro Bowler by any stretch but people should ease up on Massie. Given his contract parameters and his play over the past two years, the Bears have gotten a decent return on their investment. He’s been decent as a blocker. The question is do they think they can do better in free agency or the draft? Odds say he’ll stick around.
Markus Wheaton (WR) – $5 million in possible cap gain
Probably a bigger bust of a signing than Glennon was, and that’s saying something. The Bears tried to sell Wheaton as the deep threat they’ve sorely needed. Nobody really bought into it then and were quickly validated for their caution. Wheaton barely made an impact at all on offense, suffering a multitude of injuries throughout the year.
Marcus Cooper (CB) – $4.5 million in possible cap gain
Things seemed to start out well for Cooper in 2017. He played adequate coverage on defense. However, things regressed in a big way for him after a near-disastrous mistake on special teams cost the Bears a touchdown. Since then his confidence appeared shot and his play on the field dipped significantly. Can he rebound? Is it even worth waiting to see?
Willie Young (OLB) – $4.5 million in possible cap gain
The Bears need pass rushers so the security of Young might be higher than it should be. Truth be told he’ll be 32 this year and coming off a season-ending injury. His peak days are long behind him. Keeping him aboard would be purely for depth purposes now. Retaining him is possible but could change if the Bears are able to find some younger options.
Jerrell Freeman (ILB) – $3.46 million in possible cap gain
He’s played well when on the field but therein lay the problem. Jerrell Freeman can’t stay on the field. Not only did he suffered a season-ending torn pectoral injury in 2017, he also got suspended for the second time in two years. With young bucks like Christian Jones and Nick Kwiatkoski emerging, it’s hard to see where he fits on the roster anymore at age 31.
Quintin Demps (S) – $3.26 million in possible cap gain
He suffered the cruel fate that happens to older veterans. He signed a semi-expensive deal, took over as the starter at safety, and made the mistake of letting himself get hurt. In his absence, Adrian Amos reemerged to have his best season as a pro. The odds heavily favor the Bears going with Amos moving forward, making Demps expendable.
