With the new league year and the official opening of free agency now just one week away, the Tribune’s Brad Biggs answers reader questions about how the Chicago Bears plan to address holes at offensive line, defensive tackle and wide receiver — among others.
How long until a serious playoff push is a reality for the Bears? — @porkys_gristle
By serious playoff push, I assume you mean a scenario better than sneaking into the NFC field as the No. 7 seed, which the Bears managed to do at the end of the 2020 season. That’s a difficult question to answer because a ton is unknown about this roster, maybe more than I’ve ever seen for the Bears in early March. New general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus have a massive amount of work to do with so many players entering free agency and so many holes on the depth chart.
Who figured in March 2018 that the Bears would go from a five-win season under John Fox to a 12-win season under Matt Nagy? You could have won a tidy sum of money betting on the Bears at that time. The NFL sells hope every year with examples of teams that went from worst to first. The Cincinnati Bengals, who reached the Super Bowl, are the best and most recent example. Of course, not every last-place team has a quarterback like Joe Burrow and a top-five draft pick to add a wide receiver like J’Marr Chase.
I look at the Bears and figure Poles and the coaching staff will need two full offseasons to get this roster in a position where they feel much better about it. There are so many starting spots that need to be filled this offseason, and the team is operating with only five draft picks — and just two in the top 100 — barring trades to acquire more. The defense is changing from a 3-4 base to a 4-3, which probably doesn’t require as dramatic a turnover of players as you might think, but the Bears will be looking for players who match the skill sets they prioritize. The offense is severely lacking playmakers. It will take heavy lifting and a high strike rate in the draft and free agency to really strengthen the roster this year.
The news Tuesday that Aaron Rodgers is staying with the Green Bay Packers for a reported four-year contract extension only complicates matters. This wasn’t unexpected, but the Packers are the prohibitive division favorite as long as Rodgers is playing quarterback.
It’s realistic to expect to see some real gains from the Bears in 2023, especially if the coaching staff can make a difference. It will be interesting to see if Chairman George McCaskey is on board with a rebuilding process that requires a level of patience. If quarterback Justin Fields can make a big jump in Year 2 with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, that would speed up the timetable for the Bears returning to relevance. If Fields is what the Bears hope, they will be well-positioned. Finding a quarterback is far and away the most difficult thing to do in the NFL. At this point, I doubt the teams that passed on Fields in the draft last year are regretting that move. That doesn’t mean they won’t regret it a year from now.
So Poles and Eberflus have a flurry of moves to make and Fields needs to develop. Those processes will go hand in hand as we see how the Bears grow.
With the rumors of Amari Cooper becoming a cap casualty in Dallas and Allen Robinson’s possible departure, under what conditions, if any, does it make sense for the Bears to pursue Cooper as a No. 1 WR? — Bob, Silver Spring, Md.
Cooper, who will turn 28 in June and is preparing for his eighth season, would be a massive upgrade for the Bears. I tend to think they would have to overpay to land him considering the state of the team’s offense. Cooper had 68 receptions for 865 yards (12.8 average) and eight touchdowns last year, only the second time in his career he was under 1,000 yards. The Cowboys signed him to a $100 million contract in 2020, but it essentially was a two-year deal because of the way the guarantees were structured. With his $20 million base salary for this season becoming guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year, the Cowboys have an out. They have other talented receivers in CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, whom they reportedly are working to re-sign even though he is coming off an ACL injury. Cooper would make sense for the Bears but not at something close to the $20 million annual average he was earning with the Cowboys. You could wind up paying for past production if you believe Cooper is beyond his prime. There should be a solid market for him, so I would be a little surprised if he wound up with the Bears. But you never know.
I have heard the talk about Ryan Poles wanting to upgrade the offensive line. Ryan Pace made a big attempt to do so last year. Particularly for Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom, how can Poles make a judgment on their value without having his coaching staff working with them and them playing in some games? I would hate to see the Bears devote even more draft capital on the O-line when much improvement is in the offing with better coaching and a year for those guys to mature. If this rebuild is going to take some time, I hope he does not overkill the O-line when so much else is also needed. — B.J., Buffalo Grove
I don’t know if I would classify what Pace did last offseason as a “big attempt” to overhaul the offensive line. The Bears made a big attempt to fix their quarterback situation by trading up to draft Fields, and they got into bidding for left tackle Trent Williams in free agency before he re-signed with the San Francisco 49ers. What they did was make a mistake in cutting left tackle Charles Leno, who was under contract at a reasonable price and went on to perform well for Washington. Jenkins missed more than half the season with a back injury that forced the team to sign 39-year-old Jason Peters. The Bears re-signed Germain Ifedi to play right tackle and he was below average.
I agree it’s somewhat difficult for the new staff to evaluate Jenkins and, to a lesser extent, Borom. But if they believe the offensive line needs major work, they have to start acting on that initiative now and not push the ball down the road. We’ve seen what happens when the Bears wait to address the offensive line. I think Jenkins and Borom could figure in the team’s plans, but Poles didn’t want to shed any light on where he thinks they might line up. Maybe he wants to have in-person discussions with them first. Maybe it’s undetermined until the team sees what other options it can add. Maybe both factors are in play. I also agree there are a lot of needs elsewhere, but as emphatic as Poles was about needing to improve the offensive line, can he really downplay the needs there now?
I’m curious how much input, if any, Ryan Poles had last draft for Kansas City when the Chiefs selected center Creed Humphrey? Hoping it points to good things for the upcoming Bears draft. — @scuttler22
Since John Dorsey took over as general manager in 2013, the Chiefs have used a very open process when evaluating players, an approach Poles has adopted with the Bears. What that means is a room full of scouts and evaluators openly discussing players as they look through reports and film. So when someone says the scouting process was “collaborative,” it really was. It’s probably impossible to single out one person responsible for the Chiefs’ shrewd second-round selection of Humphrey, who helped stabilize the offensive line after they went big in free agency to sign guard Joe Thuney. Poles is someone the Chiefs turned to, even before Dorsey arrived, to evaluate offensive linemen. He played the position, so he has a good idea of what he’s looking for. Assistant GM Ian Cunningham is also a former offensive lineman, so the Bears have a couple of good sets of eyes to consider additions at this position.
What are the Bears going to do about defensive tackle? — @marlow0822
That’s a good question and a significant one when considering their needs on both sides of the ball. The Bears need not only starters, but also ample depth. There’s a good chance they release nose tackle Eddie Goldman. I find it hard to believe they would pay him $8.86 million this season with Goldman having an $11.8 million cap number. Those numbers simply don’t match what he put on film last season. Is there a scenario in which Goldman would agree to play for less this season? I suppose that’s possible, but I’d only be guessing if that’s a consideration for either party. Without Goldman, the Bears would have even more work to do as Akiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols are headed to free agency. Khyiris Tonga looked like he has a future last season. Fortunately, the draft is pretty deep at this position. The question is whether the Bears can identify a disruptive talent who can come in and be a quality three technique. It’s a big question for Eberflus and one of the real unknowns for the defense.
With all of the buzz for Ohio State’s Chris Olave, and I seriously doubt he falls to the Bears, have either Matt Eberflus or Ryan Poles said anything about the WRs currently on the roster? Dazz Newsome is similar in height and speed: 4.38-second 40-yard dash. — @blindmellojelly
The only wide receiver under contract the Bears have discussed publicly is Darnell Mooney, and all indications are they are very high on him, which is not surprising. They haven’t said a word about Newsome, whose 40 time at North Carolina’s pro day last spring was 4.59 — a world of difference from 4.38. There’s really no comparison between Olave and Newsome, and you’re correct that Olave is unlikely to make it out of Round 1. Newsome no doubt will get an opportunity to show what he can do, but he’s a long shot to be a serious contributor.
What is a realistic contract for Marquez Valdes-Scantling and the Bears? — @jkudia413
Whoever signs Valdes-Scantling will be paying for his upside as a big-play threat. Valdes-Scantling can fly and has a good frame at 6-foot-4, 206 pounds. He has been a third and mostly fourth option for the Packers and had 26 receptions for 430 yards (16.5 average) with three touchdowns last season. In 2020, he caught 33 passes for 690 yards (20.9 average) and six scores. Consistency has been an issue for Valdes-Scantling, and the question is how would he look as a No. 2 or No. 3 option with a quarterback who isn’t as talented as Aaron Rodgers. Some guys are ready for bigger roles when they reach their second contract. Some guys get overpromoted. Spotrac.com estimated a three-year contract in free agency for Valdes-Scantling with a total value of a little more than $24 million. He’s an interesting target, especially when you consider Getsy knows everything about him.
Is there a Bears player off the radar a little bit that will be sought after in free agency? — Todd C., Lombard
Interesting question. I imagine multiple teams will have interest in safety DeAndre Houston-Carson, who has been the unofficial captain of the special teams unit the past few seasons. Houston-Carson got only mild interest in free agency a year ago but was used more in the sub package on defense by Sean Desai last season. He’s a top-tier special teams player and has taken advantage of his opportunities on defense. He probably has reached the point where he can command a multiyear contract with a decent guarantee. I would not be surprised if the Seattle Seahawks, where Desai is now, have interest. Former Bears special teams coordinator Chris Tabor went to the Carolina Panthers, so they could be in the mix along with the New York Giants and perhaps more teams. Houston-Carson won’t break the bank, but I’d be surprised if the Bears got him back this time on a one-year deal. I imagine Poles wants to try to keep him too.
What are the Bears going to do at wide receiver? — Frank G., Pittsburgh
The high-end options that could have reached the open market are disappearing. The Packers have used the franchise tag on Davante Adams. The Los Angeles Chargers reportedly struck a deal with Mike Williams, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are keeping Chris Godwin in place. The Cowboys reportedly are working to re-sign Gallup. That adds up to fewer big fish available in free agency and also enhances the market value of a player such as Allen Robinson. Christian Kirk of the Arizona Cardinals is a skilled slot receiver and should have a strong market. The Bears will have to piece together some combination of experienced players via free agency and rookies via the draft. It’s a good class for wide receivers, and with some luck they could get a nice player in the second or third round.
Given the Russell Wilson trade news today, how would you compare what the Bears gave up/got in Justin Fields? I know hindsight can be 20/20 but would be interested in your views. If Fields progresses, then I guess having him on a rookie deal is a huge bonus in comparison? — @dawestley
The Bears certainly gave up less to trade up and select Fields than they would have needed to pay the Seahawks in a trade for Wilson, which they tried hard to make happen 12 months ago. So as short as the Bears are on draft capital right now, they would be even shorter had they acquired Wilson. It’s hard to wrap your arms around this one now because we don’t know how good Fields can be. His upside remains immense, but his rookie season was dreadful. By any measurement, Mitch Trubisky had a more successful first season. Fields’ biggest supporters will place an avalanche of blame on former coach Matt Nagy. If they wind up being right, Fields could take a major step forward in his second season, especially if the Bears can make the improvements on the offensive line they have hinted at. If Fields doesn’t pan out, none of it really matters. If he makes the necessary steps this season to be on track as a developing franchise quarterback, certainly having him on a cost-controlled rookie contract is a plus for the new front office.
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