GM Ryan Pace has operated with tons of cap space for most of his tenure with the Chicago Bears. Now that he has a good team, he’s about to learn what life is like without it. While the team has over $17 million in space still, the details are far different. Pace can no longer afford to make bold big-money moves. Not with several of his young players emerging into top tier status and needing extensions.
Among them include Cody Whitehair, Leonard Floyd, Mitch Trubisky, Tarik Cohen, and Eddie Jackson. There’s only so much money to go around, and with Khalil Mack commanding such a large chunk of cap space, this was always going to be a challenge for Pace on whether he could keep the roster intact and competitive.
Projections have the Bears at least than $3 million available at the start of the 2020 league year. That’s if the cap doesn’t rise again as it has the past several years. Expectations are that it will though. Even so, it illustrates the fine line this team is walking. With so many new deals to hand out, it’s possible they may have to make some sacrifices in order to gain breathing space.
Looking over the contracts as they’ll stand next year, these will be the names to watch.
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Kyle Long – $8.1 million gained if released or traded
Long has been the consummate Bear ever since he was drafted in 2013. A true fan favorite and a really good football player. That said, his best days are behind him. Numerous injuries have taken a toll on his body to the point where he hasn’t played a full season in over three years. Add that to the fact he will turn 32-years old in December of 2020 and it paints the picture in a rather cold light.
Keeping older, broken down players at high prices is not a good business plan. The Bears already showed they can survive without him last season. It will be tough to see but feels unavoidable.
Prince Amukamara – $8 million gained if released or traded
Something to keep in mind here. Amukamara elected to stay in Chicago primarily because he loved playing in Vic Fangio’s defense. Now that Fangio is gone, it’s difficult to say how he’ll respond to his replacement in Chuck Pagano. Beyond that? It becomes a question of age. Amukamara turns 30 this June and will be 31 before the start of the 2020 season. Paying a cornerback that age $9 million isn’t ideal, especially for a cash-strapped team.
Allen Robinson – $13 million gained if released or traded
This one might be more difficult to understand but stay with me. Some might be forgetting that 2020 will be the last year of Robinson’s current contract. He only signed a three-year deal with the Bears in the first place. The obvious reason being his desire to rebuild his stock in the league and becoming a free agent again at 27-years old for a chance at an even bigger payday.
Allen Robinson hauled in 14 of his contested targets in 2018 – tying for 8th among the league's receivers. pic.twitter.com/4fDKc9rnvi
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) March 21, 2019
This leaves the Bears with a tough decision, depending on how he plays this coming season. If he plays well? They can work to give him an extension, hopefully lowering his cap hit. Or they can trade him to another team looking for wide receiver help. By that point, his value will be high and can likely fetch a nice return.
If the Bears were to make all three of these moves, they would net $29 million in cap space. More than enough to handle their extension business and maintain some flexibility. The odds are they won’t have to go that far, but it does feel like at least two of those names could be unfortunate sacrifices next spring.
