The NFL offseason is officially here and with the scouting combine and free agency right around the corner, it’s time to take at some issues facing the Chicago Bears over the next few months.
Fresh off an NFC North championship and a 12-win season, the Bears have plenty of reasons to feel good about the roster as it currently stands. The core of the team is set to return in 2019 and while GM Ryan Pace won’t have as many draft picks or cap dollars to use this year, there are fewer holes on the roster that he needs to worry about too.
Yes, the Bears can make a free-agent splash if they want to. Yes, the Bears can trade up into the second round and grab a top-50 talent if they want to. But those aren’t the most pressing issues facing Pace right now.
Here are six questions the Bears must answer as the offseason kicks off.
Is Kyle Long the answer at right guard?
No one would question the value of Kyle Long to the Bears, but at this point in the veteran guard’s career, can he be counted on to play a full 16 games at a high level anymore?
Long hasn’t played more than 575 snaps in any of the last three seasons, and that number came in 2018 when he missed eight games. The last time Long played a full season was 2015, and it’s clear his injuries have taken a toll on his play. He registered the worst grade of his career (62.2) this season from Pro Football Focus.
The Bears will soon gain contract flexibility with Long, whose dead-cap figure is $3 million in 2019 and only $1.5 million in 2020.
If Chicago targets interior offensive line with their third-round pick, the writing may be on the wall for Long.
Is Adrian Amos worth a big contract extension?
The biggest contract question facing GM Ryan Pace over the next month or so will surround safety Adrian Amos, who’s developed into a respected starter and graded among the league’s elite at his position by Pro Football Focus.
The Bears, obviously, would like Amos back, but at what price? There are several talented safeties on the free-agent market and that bodes well for Chicago. Amos may be better off giving the Bears a hometown discount than shopping his services on the open market; he just might realize there are other safeties — like Tyrann Mathieu — valued more.
Regardless, Pace has to play this one right. If he decides Amos’ demands are too high, there better be a strong Plan B. The Bears’ secondary was a strength of the defense in 2018 and Amos was a big part of it.
Should the Bears pay top dollar for Bryce Callahan?
Short answer? Yes. Long answer? It’s complicated.
Bryce Callahan has starred as the Bears’ slot corner the last two seasons but he just can’t stay healthy. How much money can a team realistically commit to a great player who isn’t always available?
Callahan was ranked the 24th-best free agent available by Pro Football Focus and it’s for good reason. He was lights out in coverage in 2018 and had he managed to stay healthy all year, he may have been a top-five free agent in this class. But the broken foot he suffered in December has thrown a huge curveball into his potentially huge payday.
Callahan’s played only 25 of 32 games the last two seasons because of various injuries. He doesn’t profile like a guy Ryan Pace will pay top dollar to. We’ll see.
Is Kareem Hunt worth the risk?
There’s no denying Kareem Hunt would be a massive upgrade over Jordan Howard as the Bears’ lead running back. And it’s not because he’s that much more talented than Howard; instead, he’s simply a better fit for what Matt Nagy likes to do on offense.
Hunt has a proven track record of production as a runner and receiver and would give Chicago a three-down dynamo behind QB Mitch Trubisky. But he’d also be a lightning rod for controversy.
Hunt is a free agent for a reason. He was let go by the Chiefs last season because of a video that surfaced of him physically assaulting a woman in Cleveland hotel in February 2018.
Hunt is a perfect fit on the field, and potential disaster off of it, for the Bears. This is why they pay Ryan Pace the big bucks. It’s his call to make.
Should Chase Daniel remain the primary backup?
Backup quarterback Chase Daniel did his job and he did it well last season. And no, I’m not talking about how he played on the field in place of Mitch Trubisky for two games. That left a lot to be desired. Instead, he did his part in helping Trubisky learn the offense and grow as a player week to week.
But the Bears need a backup quarterback who has the potential to win games if Trubisky goes down. Daniel shouldn’t necessarily get his walking papers, but Chicago has to bring in a young passer to develop and groom to be the top backup heading into 2020.
Is help needed opposite Khalil Mack?
Leonard Floyd had something of a breakout season in 2018, but he may not be the pass-rush threat Pace envisioned when he drafted him ninth overall in 2016.
That’s not a knock against Floyd. He’s evolved into a good all-around edge defender who can create pressure from time to time while also being sound against the run and in coverage. Those players have value, so much so that the Bears will pick up his fifth-year option.
But grabbing another pass rusher in free agency or the draft shouldn’t be completely ruled out. The best way to take advantage of what Khalil Mack brings to the table is to give him some quality pass-rushing running-mates. Pace would be wise to add another option to the depth chart this offseason.
