Cut, Keep or Restructure: Making Call on the Chicago Bears' Worst Contracts

As the Chicago Bears continue to search for their next head coach, they also have to start thinking about how their roster will look in 2015. 

New general manager Ryan Pace might want to purge some of Phil Emery's mistakes, but at what cost? There are five high-profile veterans making big money at their positions Pace must decide on. 

What is the future of guys like Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler? Click ahead to find out if the Bears keep them, cut them or restructure their deals. 

Quarterback Jay Cutler

Jim Mone/Associated Press

Ask 10 Bears fans what the team should do with Jay Cutler, and you are likely to get 10 different answers. The fact remains that the team has to make a decision on Cutler, and it needs to do so before March 13. 

Cutler currently has $16 million guaranteed for 2015, and according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, if he is on the roster by the March date, another $10 million of his 2016 contract becomes fully guaranteed. 

Trading Cutler would likely garner back no more than a fourth-round pick, hardly a decent return for a team that still has win-now talent. 

Dumping Cutler also leaves a big void at quarterback going into next season. Whether you like Cutler or not, there aren't any quality options in the draft or free agency to replace him right away. 

Look, the Bears made their bed, and now they have to lie in it. Pay him what he's owed this season and find a head coach and offensive coordinator who can bring him back to respectability. 

Verdict: Keep

Defensive End Jared Allen

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

When the Bears signed Jared Allen to a four-year, $32 million contract last year, they thought they were a team on the verge of making the playoffs, and they thought Allen's production would warrant the money. 

Neither came to fruition, and now the team has to make a decision on Allen. Even though he signed a four-year deal, only two years of it is guaranteed. 

Allen is set to make $12.5 million thanks to an $11.5 million roster bonus. Sadly, the Bears are stuck with this deal. Cutting him means eating the money, and there isn't a team in its right mind who would trade for Allen at this point. 

Would the Bears like to restructure the deal? Probably, but why would Allen do that? The Bears have no choice but to keep the aging pass-rusher who's on the decline for at least one more season. 

Verdict: Keep

Cornerback Tim Jennings

David Banks/Getty Images

Tim Jennings had a great two-year run that saw him go to the Pro Bowl twice, rack up 13 interceptions and get rewarded with a four-year, $22.4 million contract. 

One year after the deal, the Bears are likely looking at how they can part ways with Jennings. He had a poor season last year with 50 tackles, seven passes defended and no interceptions. 

To make matters worse, Jennings was recently arrested for speeding and suspicion of DUI. It's hard to say whether Jennings is going backward or just had a poor season because he was on a bad defense. 

Jennings has been a solid pro throughout his career and will work hard to make sure last year was an anomaly. He still has value, but probably not at the $5.25 million of cap space he takes up. 

If Jennings wants to stay in Chicago in 2015, he needs to help the team out with his contract. 

Verdict: Restructure 

Kicker Robbie Gould

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Robbie Gould will go down in franchise history as the team's best kicker. He's been as reliable as it gets, but it might be time to go in a different direction. 

Right now, the Bears are set to pay Gould $3.6 million next year despite only making nine field goals last season largely due to injuries and offensive deficiencies. 

In his career, Gould has been very accurate, hitting 85.6 percent of his field goals, but he has never been a high-volume guy. 

Gould hasn't attempted over 30 field goals in a season since 2011 and has only made over 30 field goals in a season once in his career. Compare that to longtime veteran Adam Vinatieri, who has attempted and made over 30 field goals two years in a row. 

The Indianapolis Colts only pay Vinatieri $2.75 million after his base salary and various bonuses. Maybe it's not time to get rid of Gould yet, but the Bears need to ask if they can restructure his deal. Based on what he says, the Bears might have to part ways with him. 

Gould might want a change of scenery and tell the Bears no way. 

Verdict: Cut

Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The last time we saw Brandon Marshall on the field, he was being escorted off due to a rib injury that forced him to shut it down with three games left in the season. 

Since then, there has actually been talk, including this article from Hub Arkush of the Chicago Sun Times, of the Bears parting ways with the best receiver they have had in decades. Even in a down year, Marshall managed to grab over 60 balls and haul in eight touchdowns. 

Marshall comes with a 2015 cap hit of $9.575 million. That's still a bargain for a tough and passionate receiver who just wants to win. 

It's absolutely absurd to think the Bears should cut or try and trade Marshall right now. Giving up on him means they have given up on winning next year. The thought shouldn't even be entertained. 

Verdict: Keep

Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.