The latest Chicago Bears 2020 mock offseason is steeped in a little more realism. What can the team do that isn’t totally outlandish while also being enough to convince people they’re trying hard to get better? It might not be the blockbuster splash-fest some fans are hoping for, but it certainly should be something that can push a team stuck in football purgatory back into the playoff picture.
Obviously most of the discussion will be geared around the quarterbacks, and that’s fair. However, this team has a number of other problems to deal with and only so many resources. They have some hard decisions ahead of them that will carry a lot of risks. Yet that’s exactly why GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy get paid the big bucks.
Here is how they might be able to tackle the issues.
Chicago Bears 2020 mock offseason gets creative
Cuts:
Kyle Long – $8.1 million
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Not much that needs to be said here. Long was a superb player and teammate for seven seasons in Chicago but injuries robbed him of his talent towards the end. He needed to step away for the sake of his life after football. He will be missed, but it was absolutely the right decision.
Prince Amukamara – $9 million
Unless he might be willing to accept a pay cut ahead of this season, it feels like the Bears and Amukamara could reach an impasse. They can’t afford to pay him his current salary after a difficult 2019 and he likely won’t want to take a reduction. Thus the two sides choose to part way.
Ben Braunecker – $1.5 million
The overhaul at tight end figures to be extensive. Braunecker has his value on special teams but not at the current price they’re paying him. He had a huge opportunity to establish himself on offense last year and didn’t do much with it. The Bears have seen what he is.
Adam Shaheen – $1.27 million
There were such high hopes for the 2nd round pick back in 2017. He truly had the physical potential to be great. Sadly, his body was unequal to the task. Shaheen’s legacy will be one of disappointment brought about by constant injury issues. It’s time to move on.
Salary cap: $33.22 million
Trades:
TE Trey Burton and a 6th round pick to the Colts
People might think there is no way for the Bears to get out from under Burton’s contract. This is not true. All they have to do is find a team with lots of cap space willing to take his deal with a draft pick as a sweetener. Enter the Colts. Not only are they swimming in cap, they also have a hold at tight end with Eric Ebron leaving and a head coach in Frank Reich with connections to Burton.
WR Taylor Gabriel to the Bills for a 6th round pick
The Bears quickly get that 6th rounder back by dealing Gabriel to the Bills. Buffalo has a glut of 6ths to give and have a rocket-armed quarterback in Josh Allen. Getting a chance to pair Gabriel with fellow speedster John Brown has to appeal to them and they have more than enough cap space to handle his deal.
Salary cap: $42.77 million
Re-signings/Extensions:
Allen Robinson – 4-year extension, $65.6 million ($13 million 2020 cap hit)
Regardless of what they do in adding new players, the team must make sure to keep one of the few offensive standouts they have happy. Robinson earned a pay raise with his excellent 2019 season. The Bears secure themselves a #1 wide receiver and somebody they can build around moving forward, regardless of who ends up being quarterback.
Leonard Floyd – 3-year extension, $35.511 million ($8.622 million 2020 cap hit)
The Bears really seem convinced that Floyd has a vital role to play in their defense and are willing to sacrifice his lack of pass rush prowess in favor of it. If so, then they need to get that cap hit of his lower. Offering an extension does the job. It’s a contract that will give him some long-term security but also create some wiggle room for the team.
Nick Kwiatkoski – 4-year deal, $34 million ($6 million 2020 cap hit)
Pace has built a culture around trying to reward in-house players whenever possible. Kwiatkoski showed he’s ready to be a starter this past season with his excellent play down the stretch in place of the injured Danny Trevathan. There is some risk in giving him this much money but that is the nature of the market. Somebody was going to pay him. Let him stay next to Roquan.
Roy Robertson-Harris – 1-year deal, $2.144 million
It feels like the guy was on the cusp of a breakout year in 2019 but never quite managed to rack up the sacks. Still, Robertson-Harris has value as a rotational defensive end who can bring juice to the pass rush.
Kevin Pierre-Louis – 1-year deal, $900,000
It sounds like Pierre-Louis loves Chicago and is anxious to return. He’ll be the primary backup with Trevathan gone which should give him opportunities to play. Not to mention his added value on special teams.
DeAndre Houston-Carson – 1-year deal, $820,000
Speaking of special teams, Houston-Carson seemed to carve out a nice role in the third phase while also serving as a backup at safety. Keeping him in those roles, especially with Deon Bush leaving isn’t a bad idea.
Cornelius Lucas – 1-year deal, $820,000
Probably one of the biggest surprises of last season was how well Lucas played when thrust into the starting right tackle job after Bobby Massie got hurt. He handled himself well and is worth keeping around as the backup.
Patrick Scales – $1-year deal, $820,000
Consistent long snappers are something worth keeping around. Scales has done nothing to warrant losing his job and should be easy enough to keep at a cheap price. Why rock the boat if you don’t have to?
Rashaad Coward – 1-year deal, $660,000
Did he set the world on fire when he got his chance to play? No. Even so, Coward went from defensive lineman in 2017 to starting right guard in a matter of less than two years. That is something worthy of respect.
J.P. Holtz – 1-year deal, $585,000
Having versatile players on offense is never a bad thing. Holtz showed he could both play a reserve tight end role while also being a capable fill-in at fullback. Given the price, this is an easy decision for the Bears.
Salary cap: $41.07 million
Free agency:
OG Austin Blythe – 4-year deal, $38 million ($7.5 million 2020 cap hit)
The Bears really weren’t able to run their offense due in large part to inconsistent blocking up front. Losing Long was a bigger blow than anybody cares to admit. Sliding a veteran like Blythe into that right guard spot is an instant help. He’s not what one might call a star but the guy is solid and a proven pass protector with just two sacks allowed in two seasons. A good fit for the pass-first style of offense Nagy wants to run.
EDGE Jason Pierre-Paul – 3-year deal, $30 million ($8 million 2020 cap hit)
There are health concerns regarding the veteran pass rush, but he showed last season he can still be a major factor getting after the quarterback. Pierre-Paul collected 8.5 sacks in just 10 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Being able to play across from Khalil Mack would be a major way to extend his effectiveness and provide much-needed insurance against Floyd.
S Tony Jefferson – 1-year deal, $6 million
Baltimore recently cut ties with the veteran safety after his 2019 season was cut short by injury. That said, he’s only 28-years old and was played well when on the field. Jefferson is a classic strong safety type who does his best work around the line of scrimmage. The Bears really missed that last year, which robbed Eddie Jackson of opportunities to stay back in coverage where he’s most dangerous.
QB Marcus Mariota – 1-year deal, $4 million
It’s not the splash move Bears fans will want, but it serves a purpose. Mariota has starting experience and is still just 26-years old. He is known for being a man of high character and has considerable talent. Perhaps being put in an offense that more resembles the one he had at Oregon combined with being surrounded by QB specialists might be the boost he needs.
CB Artie Burns – 1-year deal, $1 million
The former 1st round pick saw his playing time diminish each year until the Pittsburgh Steelers finally got fed up and benched him. He’s still remarkably young at 24-years old. Maybe a fresh start with a defensive back specialist like Chuck Pagano might help finally realize some of that potential he showed as a rookie.
QB Jordan Ta’amu – 1-year deal, $820,000
P.J. Walker and Cardale Jones are getting most of the attention in the new XFL, but the most intriguing QB has to be Jordan Ta’amu. The former Ole Miss standout was way too raw when he went undrafted in 2018 but he’s clearly taken full advantage of the new league’s opportunity. His ability to read defenses and throw with accuracy has noticeably improved. Combine that with his arm talent and mobility and you have somebody worth bringing in as a backup.
TE Demetrius Harris – 1-year deal, $820,000
An understated issue regarding the Bears tight end position was how inadequate their blocking was, both in pass protection and the run game. Harris has never been a receiving threat but the big 6’7 monster is a factor when brought in to block. He proved that during the five seasons he was with the Chiefs from 2014 to 2018.
Salary cap: $12.93 million
The Draft:
2nd Round (via LAV) – K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State
Speed is a major factor in NFL offenses and has been forever. The Bears don’t have enough of it. That is why they pinpoint Hamler. While only 5’9 in height. his speed combined with strong route running ability makes him a big play waiting to happen. He averaged a gaudy 16.9 yards per catch at Penn State and was also a danger on kick returns. He can easily fill that role Gabriel leaves behind.
- Trade: #50 pick and 4th round comp to Jets for #68 and #79 picks
3rd Round (via NYJ) – Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
Kmet could go higher but his lack of any standout traits makes him look like a classic Day 2 pick. I recently compared him to Jason Witten who also went in the 3rd round. There was nothing “special” about him. He was just solid in every department. Kmet is the same way. He’s a big guy who moves well, has good hands, and takes every part of his job seriously. He can be an instant factor in the passing game.
3rd Round (via NYJ) – Saadiq Charles, OT, LSU
The Bears don’t need a new starting tackle yet. Charles Leno and Bobby Massie remain in place for 2020. That said, it’s likely a chance could be coming in 2021. A smart decision would be to add a player with significant upside they can have ready for when that time comes. Charles comes from the national champion Tigers, has good length and moves really well for a pass blocker. What he needs is time to add more strength to his frame. Something a year in the NFL can provide.
5th Round – Lamar Jackson, CB, Nebraska
Being unable to secure a front line cornerback to replace Amukamara, the Bears instead go the route of creating an open competition. Jackson is the type of player who fits their defensive scheme well. While not the most fluid athlete, his mixture of standout size (6’3) and physicality make for a potent combination in press coverage. He has enough speed to go man to man but still needs technique refining.
6th Round – Myles Dorn, S, North Carolina
Dorn was a consistently productive player for the Tarheels across three seasons. He’s a big safety who plays the classic box role well, able to navigate the line of scrimmage to stop the run and make strong tackles. He’s also not a complete liability in coverage, having secured two interceptions in each of those three years.
6th Round (via BUF) – T.J. Brunson, ILB, South Carolina
The Bears are bound to see a lot of Kwiatkoski when watching Brunson. While not the most athletic guy in the world, his combination of instinct, motor, and stopping power is hard to ignore. The guy just finds the football. His added prowess as a blitzer will be something Pagano will love taking advantage of.
7th Round (via LAV) – Salvon Ahmed, RB, Washington
Losing Kerrith Whyte was unfortunate for the Bears. He seemed to have a lot of promise. With him gone, they’ll need to fill that void of a running back with true speed they can develop. Ahmed actually has a similar story to Whyte, having been stuck behind a productive player most of his college career. He’s a highly versatile weapon who needs seasoning.
7th Round – Trevis Gipson, EDGE, Tulsa
The Bears showed interest in Gipson at the East-West Shrine game. He certainly had a nice senior year with eight sacks and 15 tackles for a loss. He has a nice mixture of quickness and power with enough bend to get around the edge. The big question is whether he can refine his technique to a point where he can take on professional tackles.