The 2016 season is (mercifully) over for the Chicago Bears. Fans watched as their beloved franchise endured a 3-13 campaign. It goes down as the worst record ever produced by this organization in a 16-game season. Not exactly something one wants on their resume. GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox were adamant it wouldn’t happen again.
Pace in particular seemed emphatic on that point and also that he intended to take full advantage of the resources that come in 2017. First is the healthy amount of salary cap space Chicago will have. Latest estimates via overthecap.com say they’ll have over $58 million to spend. That’s without additional moves to free space.
Then there is the NFL draft benefits. Owning the tiebreaker with Jacksonville, who had the same record, the Bears own the #3 overall pick. It’s the highest they’ve held since 1972 and their first top five selection since 2005. With it comes the inevitable speculation of who they might take. In addition comes the other favorite debate among draft enthusiasts. (continue to next page from top)
