A new Chicago Bears 2020 mock offseason? Yes. The season is pretty much over now, so might as well see what other ways the team can possibly fix this mess they’ve found themselves in. This time though, the cuts are going much deeper than last time. All the way to the top in fact. Some people may not be wild about the idea of an organizational reset but the fact is this regime has produced one winning season in five years. That cannot be acceptable.
The Bears are going to have new management this time around. Men with one thing above all else: credibility. Guys who have been around the league for a long time, had success in it, and know what it takes to build and maintain a winner. This won’t guarantee anything but it will at least put he team in capable hands rather than ones that don’t quite know what they’re trying to do.
Chicago Bears 2020 mock offseason complete breakdown
Front office:
Ryan Pace fired as GM and replaced with Scot McCloughan
The Bears are going to want somebody with credibility if they do move on from Pace. Somebody with a long track of success when it comes to the NFL draft. They’d be hardpressed to find a more proven option than McCloughan. This guy has a track record many former and even current general managers wish they had. Between 2005 and 2009 he was the primary personnel man for the San Francisco 49ers. During which time they secured the likes of Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Patrick Willis, and Joe Staley.
After that, he became a consultant in Seattle from 2010 to 2013. During they time they had incredible success drafting names like Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, and Bobby Wagner. He then took over the Washington Redskins in 2015 and over two years grabbed the likes of Brandon Scherff and Preston Smith. He even assisted the Browns in 2018 with their draft. One that secured Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb. This guy is a proven commodity and he’s only 48-years old too.
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Coaching staff:
Matt Nagy fired as head coach and replaced with Greg Roman
If Pace is out the door, one must imagine that the head coach he hired will go with him. The Bears have tried to find an offensive guy who can finally solve their woes on that side of the ball. Unfortunately, their past two choices lacked credibility. Marc Trestman had been in the CFL for too long when he came back. Nagy had only been a coordinator for two seasons and just started calling plays halfway through his second. It’s time they tried actually giving the reins to someone with credibility.
The hot name right now is Greg Roman. He’s responsible for helping transform Lamar Jackson into one of the most feared weapons in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens. Roman has an impressive track record. He got Colin Kaepernick to a Super Bowl with San Francisco and a Pro Bowl out of Tyrod Taylor in Buffalo. Now Jackson is an MVP favorite. In addition, Roman has never had a rushing offense rank lower than 8th in his career. If ever a guy fit Bears football, it’s him.
Cuts:
Kyle Long ($8 million)
He will always be a beloved Bear but Long has clearly regressed to a point where his body can’t be trusted anymore. He’s in his 30s and has landed on IR every year since 2016. It’s time to move on.
Prince Amukamara ($8.1 million)
This is more a case of age and price dictating the move than play on the field. Amukamara is still a reliable cornerback but the Bears have a lot of issues to fix and not enough money to do it with. So he’s sacrificed.
Cordarrelle Patterson ($5.25 million)
Patterson has done his job as a kick returner for the Bears, but in the end, it hasn’t shifted the bottom line for them. As good as he is at what he does, the money he’s making doesn’t justify it.
Taylor Gabriel ($4.5 million)
He certainly has speed and the Bears don’t have a ton of that but the fact is Gabriel continues to drop too many catchable balls and remains a liability due to his size. It’s time for a change.
Adam Shaheen ($1.27 million)
Is anybody in the world surprised by this? The 2nd round pick from 2017 has proven to be a major disaster. He’s not a factor in the passing game and can’t stay healthy. The guy needs to go.
Salary cap space: $39.2 million
Trades:
Charles Leno Jr. to the Broncos for a 3rd round pick
Leno had himself a solid 2018 but it feels like that was probably his peak. The left tackle has dropped off significantly in 2019. He’s making so many bad mistakes with missed blocks and bad penalties. It feels like the time is right to move on. He’s still not too old and was a Pro Bowler not too long ago. The Denver Broncos need left tackle help and he has connections to Vic Fangio. It isn’t a hard sell from their perspective.
Leonard Floyd and a 6th to the Patriots for a 4th round pick
Floyd was supposed to be the next big pass rusher for the Bears. Then he was supposed to be the perfect complement to Khalil Mack. He has failed in both of those roles. Paying him over $13 million next year cannot and should not happen. The Patriots love players of his type who are versatile and can do a lot of different things. This kind of deal is right in their wheelhouse. The Bears package Floyd and a 6th rounder for a 4th rounder and extra cap space.
Trey Burton and a 7th to the Colts
This is nothing more than a pure salary dump. The Bears basically give the Colts a 7th round pick to take Burton’s contract off their hands. Indianapolis has a ton of cap space coming their way in 2020. So this is the sort of move that should be easy for them to handle. In return, the Bears secure more than $5 million in extra salary cap space.
Salary cap space: $60.38 million
Re-signings/Extensions:
Allen Robinson – 4-year extension, $68 million
This season has proven one thing. Robinson is the best and most reliable offensive weapon the Bears have and it’s not close. They should do what is necessary to ensure he’s on the team moving forward. This extension will raise his pay to $17 million per year, placing him in the top five among wide receivers in the league. Is it expensive? Yes. He’s worth it though. This offense needs that dependable presence and Robinson is that guy.
Eddie Jackson – 5-year extension, $65 million
Yes, his takeaways haven’t been there this year but Jackson has still made his presence felt in a number of games. If anything his all-around skill set has improved since his run defense and blitzing skills have begun to blossom. He remains a great safety who is invaluable to their success. Paying him $13 million a year is a lot but such is the reality of the NFL. Keeping top players is expensive.
Danny Trevathan – 2-year deal, $14 million
Losing a leader and playmaker like Trevathan has already proven tough for the Bears defense. Trevathan is the heart and soul of that group and seeing him go would be tough to swallow. Thankfully he shows a willingness to accept the same money he was making for two more years, keeping the inside linebacker position stable alongside Roquan Smith.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – 3-year deal, $22.5 million
Clinton-Dix has looked solid for the Bears alongside Jackson on the back end. The big question is whether he’ll have a big market going into 2020. In the end, they’re able to keep him with fairly reasonable terms of $7.5 million per year. This solidifies the back end of the Bears defense for the next three seasons. Not a bad thing at all.
Roy Robertson-Harris – 1-year deal, $2.1 million (RFA tender)
Things started off so promising for Robertson-Harris this season but it’s become clear that the defensive end has his limits. He’s a solid rotation pass rusher. This isn’t a bad thing and is worth keeping around another year.
Sherrick McManis – 1-year deal, $1.5 million
Not much has changed since 2012. McManis remains a mainstay for the Bears special teams and a dependable reserve on defense. Just give him some decent money for another year.
Rashaad Coward – 1-year deal, $2.1 million (RFA tender)
Coward has proven himself to be a valuable asset. He may not be a true starting guard in the NFL but he’s certainly capable of being a reliable backup both there and at right tackle if needed.
Nick Williams – 3-year deal, $6 million
One of the last great finds for Pace before his departure. Williams has posted six sacks this season and rightfully earned a pay raise from the Bears because of it. Such a fun little story.
Patrick Scales – 1-year, $900,000
Nothing significant here. Scales has remained steady and reliable as the long snapper in Chicago and earns a slight pay raise because of it.
Salary cap space: $37.28 million
Free agency:
Marcus Mariota – 1-year deal, $9 million deal
A lot of people won’t be wild about this choice. Mariota was a failure in Tennessee after some mostly underwhelming seasons. Why should Bears fans think he can do any better in Chicago? Namely because Roman is the head coach now. His system is perfectly suited for a mobile quarterback. Suddenly the Bears have two guys on the roster in Mariota and Trubisky who can move. Let them compete for the starting job. If it doesn’t work, the Bears are off the hook in 2020 and free to pursue different options.
Kelechi Osemele – 3-year deal, $22.5 million
The former Pro Bowl guard had a serious falling out with the New York Jets over misinformation regarding his injured shoulder. As a result, he was released. He’ll be busy rehabbing that injury in the offseason but it should be good to go by next summer. The Bears need some stability up front. He’s a proven veteran who will add some extra beef to their interior.
Ryan Griffin – 3-year deal, $6 million
Nobody is going to call Griffin the answer for the Bears tight end woes. He’s more of a savvy veteran who is a nice jack-of-all-trade type of player that has proven to be a nice threat in the red zone. They’re getting him at a fairly cheap price but is still a pay raise from what he’s making with the Jets.
Jason Pierre-Paul – 2-year deal, $14 million
The Bears desperately need to find somebody who can actually rush the passer across from Khalil Mack. Tampa Bay is sure to devote their big money to keeping Shaq Barrett, which could leave Jason Pierre-Paul free to sign elsewhere. He’ll turn 31-years old in January so his price won’t be as high, not to mention injury setbacks this season. However, he had 12.5 sacks in 2018. So he should still be able to get after the quarterback.
Josh Doctson – 1-year deal, $700,000
Depth will be a concern with Gabriel and Patterson gone at wide receiver. So the Bears shore things up with the former 1st round pick from Washington. Health issues have marked most of his career but he remains a talented athlete who might just take advantage of an opportunity.
Miles Killebrew – 1-year deal, $1 million
Safety is secured at the top with Jackson and Clinton-Dix, but the depth is another issue. Both Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson are free agents. So they need some help. Miles Killebrew is a great get both because he has experience and also because he’s a standout on special teams (11 tackles in 2019).
Salary cap space: $10.08 million
The Draft:
2nd Round – Alex Leatherwood (OT, Alabama)
The Bears trading Leno opens up a hole at left tackle. They decide to plug it with Leatherwood here. Alabama is typically a factory when producing pro-ready offensive line prospects and he is no exception. In addition to being big and powerful as a run blocker, his athletic chops are top-notch as well. One of those prospects capable of dominating going forward or backward. His biggest concern at this point is flaws with his technique, which is correctable with more coaching.
2nd Round (via OAK) – Jalen Hurts (QB, Oklahoma)
This move is perfect in regards to the new system the Bears have under Roman. Hurt is that sort of dual-threat quarterback who can gash defenses just as much with his legs as he can his arm. Most should compare him to Dak Prescott. Just powerful in his lower body but still having a good enough arm to make most of the necessary throws. The kid has an indomitable will and standout leadership traits too. He’ll make the competition even more interesting.
3rd Round (via DEN) – Joshua Uche (EDGE, Michigan)
Typically pass rushers who are on the shorter side fall to the mid and late rounds in a draft. At 6’2, the same could end up being true for Uche. However, don’t be fooled. This guy can get to the quarterback. Not only is he cat-quick with natural leverage to bend the edge, but he’s also much stronger than he looks. Numerous times he’s shown he could deliver a bull rush or hold his ground in the run game.
4th Round (via NE) – Cheyenne O’Grady (TE, Arkansas)
While not the athlete Shaheen was, O’Grady will have him decisively beat in terms of effort and toughness. The guy plays hard and is tough to bring down whenever he makes a catch. One of those guys who attacks the ball in the air. Also isn’t afraid to do his part in blocking duties. Just a solid all-around tight end.
4th Round (comp) – Eric Stokes (CB Georgia)
Classify him as a rock solid cover corner who does not yet have the necessary bulk to handle bigger NFL receivers. He has the athleticism, quickness, and speed for sure. He’ll need a nutritionist to get that weight up so he can handle the physicality.
5th Round – Trajan Bandy (CB, Miami)
Quickness, fluidity and speed are nice parts of his game. On top of that, he’s quite physical and willing to throw his body in on tackles against the run. The big drawback is simple size. He’s only 5’9 which may limit him to the slot at the pro level.
6th Round – Reggie Corbin (RB, Illinois)
Lovie Smith has always had a favorable eye when it comes to running backs and that is proving true once again down at Illinois. Reggie Corbin is a joy to watch with the ball in his hands. Elite-caliber quickness and good speed too. What’s unknown is whether he can be a pass-catcher or develop as a blocker.
