Keep or Cut Decisions for Chicago Bears' 2015 Free Agents
With the 2014 season now in the rearview for the Chicago Bears, it’s time to start looking at the current roster construction and make decisions for the future.
As of Black Monday, the Bears have 21 unrestricted free agents, three exclusive-rights free agents and roughly $30 million to spend in the offseason, according to Spotrac.
Earlier in the week, we looked at Chicago’s biggest needs in free agency and suggested a few players to target when the league year begins. Then we looked ahead to the 2015 NFL draft and projected out all six of the Bears’ selections. Now it’s time to make some decisions on the 24 free agents and clean up some mistakes by shedding some existing contracts.
The new general manager and head coach definitely will have their work cut out for them. So let’s do our best to give them a hand. Here’s a list of who the Bears should look to retain and who they should move on from.
LB Lance Briggs
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Lance Briggs appeared to merely go through the motions during the 2014 season, which, barring an unexpected change, will be his last in Chicago. Briggs, for all intents and purposes, said goodbye to Bears fans during his weekly television appearance with Comcast SportsNet Chicago:
This whole year has been a bittersweet year because going into this year, I knew that this was going to be it, and I just really, more than anything, wanted to not let anything take the smile away.
And it's been probably the roughest season that I've had as a Chicago Bear, but I don't regret being here; I don't regret signing any of the deals that kept me here and allowed me to be here because I know I bleed blue and orange and will always.
Briggs is part of a small crew of veterans who were very unhappy when Lovie Smith was fired after the 2012 season. When Marc Trestman took over as head coach and Mel Tucker as defensive coordinator, Briggs never seemed to buy into what the new regime was selling.
The 34-year-old linebacker finished the 2014 season injured reserve after suffering a groin injury in Week 12. Briggs’ plans for football in 2015 are unknown. Regardless of what he decides, the Bears need to make sure to close the book on No. 55.
2015 status: MOVE ON
TE Dante Rosario
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The Bears would be silly not to bring back low-priced tight end Dante Rosario. In 2014, he caught 16 passes for 116 yards while playing nearly 30 percent of the snaps, according to PFF.
Rosario is an above-average pass-catcher. He can block out of the backfield and block from a three-point stance. He’s a Swiss army knife of sorts behind starter Martellus Bennett.
The Bears need guys who are dependable while on the field. Rosario only was called for one penalty in his 323 snaps in 2014, per PFF.
Unless someone throws a big offer Rosario’s way, he would be a guy the Bears should look to retain.
2015 status: RE-SIGN
DT Stephen Paea
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Stephen Paea had one of the best seasons of anyone on the Bears roster. He recorded five sacks while playing 65 percent of the snaps at defensive tackle.
Pro Football Focus rates Paea as the NFL’s 11th-best defensive tackle and fourth-best at rushing the passer.
With defensive ends Lamarr Houston and Willie Young recovering from season-ending injuries, it would serve the Bears to keep some continuity on the interior. Paea is hitting free agency for the first time in his career, so there’s a chance he wants to hit it big. If that’s the case, then he’ll likely be out of the Bears’ price range.
2015 status: RE-SIGN (at the right price)
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CB/ST Sherrick McManis
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Before former coach Dave Toub left for Kansas City, the Bears were one of the best on special teams in the league. Since coach Toub left, though, the Bears have struggled mightily.
In 2014, the Bears seemingly had new faces on special teams each week, usually pulling guys off the practice squad. There was little continuity.
Sherrick McManis is one of the best special teamers on the roster, and the Bears should bring him back solely for his play in the third phase.
According to Pro Football Focus, McManis ranks second on the Bears in special teams tackles with 10 in 12 games. Senorise Perry led the team with 11 in 16 games. Had McManis not missed games due to injury, he’d more than likely be tops on the team.
The fact that he missed four games in 2014 could keep his market value relatively low, so the Bears stand a good chance of bringing him back, should the new regime be interested.
2015 status: RE-SIGN (at the right price)
LB Shea McClellin
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It didn’t take long after former general manager Phil Emery selected Shea McClellin to realize the Boise State product wasn’t an NFL-caliber player.
McClellin has struggled week in and week out since entering the league three seasons ago. Emery drafted McClellin to be a defensive end but soon realized that he was helpless against the run from the edge.
After two miserable seasons on the end, Emery moved McClellin to linebacker, where he also struggled. While McClellin did improve against the run, his coverage skills from the linebacker position, seventh-worst, according to PFF, left a lot to be desired. In today’s NFL, every single linebacker needs to be able to cover running backs and tight ends.
With Emery now gone, there’s no reason to keep his biggest draft failure on the roster. McClellin is due to be a free agent after the 2015 season, but the Bears shouldn’t wait that long to jettison him from town.
2015 status: CUT
QB Jimmy Clausen
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When former head coach Marc Trestman benched Jay Cutler toward the end of the season, Jimmy Clausen received a start and didn’t look half-bad.
After basically two full years out of football, Clausen returned under center and showed those watching that he’s actually a competent backup quarterback.
In a spot start against the Detroit Lions, who happened to be the NFL’s top-rated defense at the time, Clausen completed 23 of 39 passes for 181 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Clausen’s fate in Chicago likely will be decided once the new front office decides what to do with Jay Cutler and his hefty contract. If the Bears are players for a quarterback in the draft, Clausen, a second-round pick in 2010, should be brought back to “compete” for the starting job until the rookie marinates a bit.
2015 status: RE-SIGN (under the circumstances discussed above)
ST/SS Danny McCray
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The Bears signed Danny McCray to play special teams, but injuries forced him into the lineup at safety at various points throughout the season.
McCray is a hard hitter at the back end of the defense who thrives as a run-blocker. PFF assigned McCray a positive grade against the run, one of a handful of Bears who landed in the plus column. On special teams, McCray recorded five tackles, tied for fifth-most on the team.
McCray is another player who could serve multiple purposes if brought back in 2015.
2015: RE-SIGN (to play S/T & serve as depth at safety)
WR Josh Morgan
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Josh Morgan is a better receiver than the numbers show. While he only caught 10 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets, quarterback Jay Cutler rarely looked his way.
Morgan played 271 snaps in passing situations in 14 games in 2014, according to PFF, meaning he received a target once every 14.26 plays. Four players (Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Matt Forte, Martellus Bennett) received 91 percent of the targets when Cutler was under center, so there wasn’t much opportunity for Morgan to make an impact.
Given his low salary, it would make sense to bring Morgan back to be the fourth receiver, behind Marshall, Jeffery and Marquess Wilson.
2015 status: RE-SIGN
Salary figures provided by Spotrac.com. Advanced statistics provided by Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
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