A Guide to the Bears’ In-House Free-Agents
This offseason, the Chicago Bears have many players from last year’s roster who are free agents.
The team has a limited amount of cap space but has also freed up more money with the recent cut of Prince Amukamara and Taylor Gabriel.
As of this article, the Bears will have approximately $27 million in cap space when free agency rolls around.
Here is what the Bears should do with their 6 most impactful in-house free agents.
ILB Danny Trevethan
Danny Trevethan has proven to be a solid veteran presence while he was under contract. He has stayed healthy and been a productive player for this defense. However, Trevethan is getting older (will be 30 at the start of FA), and durability could certainly become an issue over the next few seasons.
He may likely command a salary in the range of 8 to 10 million per year and would become a cap casualty toward the end of the deal. Trevethan has been a great leader for the Bears on defense, but they should let him walk next month.
ILB Nick Kwiatkoski
The Bears have another ILB hitting the open market as well. Nick Kwiatkoski has proven to provide phenomenal depth on this defense and has shown he can start when he filled in due to injury. Other teams definitely have their eye on Kwiatkoski and it will show in free-agency. His market should heat up fast.
The Bears should bring Kwiatkoski back on a four-year deal. He deserves it and can provide good play next to Roquan Smith for the next four years.
You can read more about what the Bears should do at Inside Linebacker, here.
CB Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
In the 2019 offseason, the Bears signed Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to a team-friendly, one year deal. That will not happen again this offseason. Clinton-Dix thought he was coming to a championship-caliber team and that could not have been further from right after the problems the Bears had this past season (QB, play-calling, blocking, etc.).
Still, he would be a great safety to bring back and pair up with Eddie Jackson. However, Ha Ha will most likely be out of the Bears’ price range as his market heats up.
QB Chase Daniel
Chase Daniel has proven to be a solid backup that can win games from time to time while he’s been in Chicago. However, he’s getting older (33 years old) and hasn’t brought much to the QB room or to help Mitch Trubisky’s development.
The Bears should clean house in the QB room this offseason but I won’t get my hopes up. Either way, expect a new backup QB in Chicago for 2020.
CB Sherrick McManis
Sherrick McManis has provided great depth on defense at both the safety and slot cornerback positions and is the second-best special team player, behind Cordarrelle Patterson. Although McManis is getting older (32 years old), he is still worth another deal. The Bears should bring McManis back on a two-year deal.
DB Deon Bush
Deon Bush has also proven to be good depth since being drafted by the Bears in the 4th round of the 2016 draft. Bush is still young (only 26 years old) and can provide good depth for the foreseeable future.
The Bears should bring back Bush on a team-friendly 3-year deal.
The Bears will most likely let a good amount of their in-house free agents walk, whether due to financial reasons, durability or both.
The Bears priorities through the combine and free agency should be to retain Kwiatowski, perhaps move on from Floyd and find a new OLB, and find a new starting-caliber QB to bring in.
The Bears should also seek to fill their other needs – WR, CB, OG, OLB – in this year’s NFL Draft.
All of the money they should save by passing on free-agency should go to a new quarterback’s salary but only time will tell with that one.
Featured Image: The Athletic *Exact records and statistics may have changed from the time of publishing of this article.
Discover more from Chicago Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
