Open Rants by mlevun

How to Fix the Bears (because fixing my favorite team is way more interesting than work)

Needed Upgrades:

1) QB - I feel for Jay in that he's not a bad guy or a bad QB, but his gunslinger style isn't the answer with a unit in rebuilding mode, and he's been injury prone.  Classic case of not the problem, but not the solution.

1a) Secondary - It's been atrocious for some time now.  It's would be the biggest need had it not been for the importance of the QB in today's game. 

3) Tackles - This is especially important with a change at QB.  Leno was serviceable, but he's a free agent and there are better options available.  Massie needs to be replaced

4) Run-stuffing DL.  I feel good about our pash-rush, but the front 7 hasn't been able to stop the run.

5) Pass-catchers - either tight end depth or WR depth.

Cap space to work with (per Over the Cap) 54.7M

Players to be Cut

QB Jay Cutler - Sorry Dude (+14M)

DE/OLB Lamaar Houston - If he could stay healthy... eh, still not a great signing (+5M)

RT Bobbie Massie - Decent in the run, piss-poor pass blocking (+5M)

WR Eddie Royal - 4th or 5th receivers who can't stay healthy aren't worth 5M (+5M) 

New Cap Space - 83.7M

Free Agents (Not including recent future contracts):

S. Acho, M. Adams, M. Barkley, C. Barth, J. Banks, N. Beckon, J. Bellamy, B. Boykin, D. Brown, B. Callahan, D. Fales, B. Hoyer, D. Hurst, A. Jeffery, C. Jones, E. Kush, T. Larson, C. Leno, L. Paulson, C. Prosinski, M. McCants, P. Scales, C. Shaw, D. Thompsen, C. Washington, M. Wilson, C.J. Wilson.

Free Agents to be resigned:

Alshon Jeffery- If we let him walk, our 5th priority becomes much larger. 4 years, 56M, 28M guaranteed (-14M)

Brian Hoyer - Quintessential back-up. 1 year, 4M (-4M) 

Connor Shaw - He looked good in limited reps. 1 year, 1.5M (-1.5M)

Charles Leno - We don't have anything serviceable left on the roster, and he's not terrible.  2 years, 10M, 5M guaranteed (-5M)

Mike Adams - There aren't many good options at tackle, so Adams provides flexibility. 2 years, 3M (-1.5M)

Bryce Callahan - He was our best CB at times. 3 years, 12M (-4M)

Christian Jones - decent depth piece.  1 year, 1.5M (-1.5M)

Patrick Scales - Someone has to be the long snapper. 2 years, 1.4M (-.7M)

Johnathon Banks - I liked this signing.  Perhaps a change of scenary is what he needs. 2 years, 4M (-2M)

Any 4 other guys for depth - Total Cap hit -2.5M

Remaining Cap Space - 47M

Significant Free Agents to be singed

Plan A - S Eric Berry and CB Logan Ryan - Combined 22M Cap Hit

Plan B - CB Trumaine Johnson and S Tony Jefferson - Also Combined 22M Cap Hit

- A secondary takes time to develop, and the Bears cannot wait for improvements.

K - Anyone but Barth - 1M Cap hit

T - Ricky Wagner - The bears have cap room, so they might as well spend it on the o-line - 4 years - 24M, 11 guaranteed (-6M)

Remaining Cap Space - 18

QB of the Future - Jimmy G.

Here's the thinking.  There are no QB's worthy of the #3 pick, no franchise QB's in free agency, and it's not worth waiting until 2018 for the best 2 options (Rosen and Darnold) who are both only 20.  He's had time to apprentice in NE, plays within himself, and after Houston's debacle with Osweiler, he probably won't come at that high of a cost.  Trade chips - This years' 2nd and (extra) 4th.  Cap hit 3.5M 

Remaining Cap Space - 14.5M

Draft

R1 - DL Jonathan Allen - Best player available, and fixes Priority 4. Est. Cap Hit -5.1M

R3 - WR DeDe Westbrook or TE Jordan Leggett. Est. Cap Hit -0.7M

R4 - OT Roderick Johnson available Est. Cap Hit -0.6M

R5 - Best Player Available Est. Cap Hit -0.6M

R7 - Best Player Available.  Est. Cap Hit - 0.5M

(Unlike the rest of this essay, I'm not even going to pretend that I can predict quality players in Rounds 5-7).

Remaining Cap Figure - 7M

An extension for Jimmy G is important, so some of the ways that they could get extra money would be to restructure Tracy Porter's contract or just cut him.  Between him and Brian Hoyer's contract coming off the books (in 2018), they could offer Jimmy G about 18M per year without any additional cuts.  Depending upon how good he is, that should get the bears close enough to sign him without drastic issues.