4 Chicago Bears Who Will Be on the Roster Bubble in 2015

New Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace has his work cut out for him before the league year begins March 10, 2015.

Not only does Chicago have 21 free agents to evaluate, but there are a handful of players signed through 2015 and beyond who might be looking for new homes once Pace determines the direction of the NFL’s charter franchise.

Does Pace try to salvage an offense that features quarterback Jay Cutler, running back Matt Forte, wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery and tight end Martellus Bennett? And a defense that is more than likely going to lose its two most veteran players, linebacker Lance Briggs and cornerback Charles Tillman?

Even though the Bears struggled immensely on offense and defense during the 2014 season, there still is a lot of talent around the ball. The only other option would be to blow it all up and start over.

The Bears unexpectedly went against the grain by hiring Pace, who held zero ties to Bears management before the interview process. So who really knows what will happen moving forward.

Until those key decisions are made, we are left to speculate about the future of this team. Here are four players who could find themselves on the chopping block now that a new sheriff is in town.

NOTE: Cutler is not included on this list because his status on the roster is more than likely contingent on whether Pace can find a trade partner. For more on Cutler's status, go here.

Salary information provided by OvertheCap.com. Advanced statistics provided by Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

LB Shea McClellin

Jim Mone/Associated Press

Shea McClellin needs to be one of the first to be cast off the Bears' roster. Former general manager Phil Emery drafted McClellin to rush the passer off the edge but soon realized that the Boise State product was helpless against the run from the defensive end position.

Emery then decided to move McClellin to linebacker after two miserable seasons. While McClellin improved as a run defender, his skills in coverage ranked seventh-worst in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. A linebacker who can’t cover a running back in the flat or a tight end downfield is not much help.

Cutting McClellin this offseason will come with a price, but no price is too steep to get him out of town. He carries a 2015 cap number of $2.62 million and would count $1.9 million against the cap if he were to be cut.

K Robbie Gould

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Bears fans won’t like seeing Robbie Gould’s name on this list, but it’s time to start moving in another direction. It’s not because Gould can’t kick anymore. It’s because Gould makes a nice chunk of change that could be better spent elsewhere.

The Bears’ place-kicker just concluded the first year of a four-year, $15 million contract that included $8.85 million in guaranteed money. He carries a cap number of $3.6 million in 2015 and a dead-money number of $1.8 million against the cap in the event he were to get cut.

Here are a few names of kickers who are just as reliable as Gould (85.6 percent career average) and more than likely less expensive:

DEN Brandon McManus — $930,000 (69.2 percent average)

BAL Justin Tucker — $1.4 million (89.8 percent career average)

SEA Steven Hauschka — $3.3 million (85.4 percent career average)

Right there you have three kickers who all made the playoffs, two of whom have won a Super Bowl. It’s very reasonable to think the Bears could draft a kicker or sign an undrafted free agent over the summer and into training camp.

This is not a personal attack on Gould. He’s beloved in Chicago, but so are the Bears. There are more than a few needs on this roster. Less Gould equals more money for other skill positions.

DE Jared Allen

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

The Bears had high expectations for Jared Allen when the team signed him to a four-year, $32 million contract during the offseason.

Allen failed to live up to those expectations, ultimately recording a career-low 5.5 sacks in 15 games. The defensive end looked to be much slower playing outdoors on a natural grass surface instead of playing indoors on a much faster surface. The down season begs the question of whether Allen is a good fit for the current model of the Bears defense.

Another potential problem for Allen is his fit in whichever defensive scheme the Bears plan to run in 2015. Even though Mel Tucker has yet to be fired as Chicago’s defensive coordinator, his firing is merely a formality at this point.

Allen can remain at defensive end if the Bears stick with a 4-3. If a change to a 3-4 defense is in the works, then Pace will have to seriously consider moving on from Allen.

He's currently owed $1 million in base salary next season along with a roster bonus of $11.5 million. If the Bears were to release him, Allen would count $12.5 million against the cap in 2015. The Bears defense needs to become younger, and shedding Allen might be a quick way of doing so.

CB Tim Jennings

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Tim Jennings had a very subpar 2014 season. After intercepting 16 passes in his first five years in Chicago, Jennings went through 2014 without picking off a pass for the first time in his Bears career.

Jennings allowed five touchdowns in coverage this past season and allowed opposing quarterbacks a QB rating of 106.7 when he is the primary defender, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Bears cornerback carries a 2015 cap number of $5.3 million. Despite the decent chunk of money it would cost Chicago to cut bait, the new regime might want to retool the entire defense, and that could include Jennings, whose talent appears to be dissipating before our very eyes.

It would be in the Bears’ best interest to draft a cornerback in the first few rounds of the 2015 NFL draft to play next to 2014 first-round pick Kyle Fuller. If Jennings is kept on the roster, he more than likely will be restricted to being the nickel cornerback exclusively.

What doesn't help Jennings' status with the Bears is his recent legal troubles. Earlier in the week, Jennings was arrested in Georgia and taken into custody on charges of speeding, reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. He was pulled over around noon. 

An arrest is not exactly the best way to endear yourself to the new general manager and eventually the head coach.