Bears Free Agents: Ranking Re-Sign Priorities for Chicago
Between prepping for free agency and scouting for the 2015 NFL draft, Chicago Bears first-time general manager Ryan Pace has his hands full.
Pace already struck it rich by hiring head coach John Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. His next big task will be the free-agency period, which begins March 10.
The first-time general manager will have to make decisions on 21 unrestricted free agents and three exclusive-rights free agents, according to OverTheCap.com. Chicago has $27.6 million to spend in free agency after committing $64.4 million on offense and $41.2 million on defense.
Let’s now look at the five most important free agents on the Bears roster.
5. K Jay Feely
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Yes, that’s right, Jay Feely is No. 5 on this list.
Why?
Because it’s time to move on from Robbie Gould (written about more here). Gould just finished the first year of a four-year, $15 million contract that included $8.85 million in guaranteed money. His 2015 cap number is $3.6 million with a dead-money cap hit of $1.8 million if the Bears were to cut him.
Feely makes 82.6 percent of his attempted field goals, whereas Gould sits at 85.6 percent on 118 fewer attempts. The difference is minimal, and the Bears could re-sign Feely for less than the cost of Gould.
He’s been great for the Bears in his 10-year career, no doubt. Given the other holes on the roster, though, the money the Bears could save by cutting Gould could be useful elsewhere.
If Feely ends up costing too much, there’s always the undrafted free-agent market. That’s where Baltimore found Justin Tucker, who cost the Ravens $570,000 last season while carrying a career average of 89.8 percent.
4. C Brian De La Puente
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Brian de la Puente was a key member of Chicago’s offensive line in 2014, a line that was hit hard by injuries.
All five starters missed at least one game after a season where the Bears started the same five linemen in all 16 games. De la Puente appeared in eight games this season, starting six of them—four at center and two at left guard. Pro Football Focus rated him the top reserve lineman on Chicago’s roster.
In a pinch, De la Puente can play anywhere on the offensive line. Current right guard and two-time Pro Bowl selection Kyle Long is the only other guy on the roster who is capable of such a thing.
In 2014, De la Puente earned only $795,001 with only $65,000 guaranteed. Bringing him back on a one-year, low-cost contract would be a good idea.
3. LB D.J. Williams
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D.J. Williams has a history with new head coach John Fox, as the linebacker spent two seasons under Fox in Denver.
Because we don’t yet know the kind of defense Vic Fangio will use with the Bears, Williams could be an asset, even at the old age of 32.
While Fangio has been a 3-4 guy in the past, the Bears don’t exactly have the personnel to accommodate such a scheme. Williams could serve as a low-cost stopgap until Fangio gets the tools he needs to run a 3-4. Fangio could use him in 4-3 base packages as a run stopper.
The main thing to worry about with Williams, who carried a cap hit in 2014 of $1.41 million, is his ability to stay healthy. He’s missed 16 games due to injury in the past two seasons. Don’t think Williams doesn’t understand his situation, though.
“I'm late in my career, and I do want to go to a place where I'm comfortable,” Williams told ESPNChicago’s Carmen and Jurko. “I feel like if I do talk to John Fox he would shoot me straight and tell me what my position would be on the team. I'm feeling pretty good. I had a neck injury earlier this year. It's one of those injuries that you just needed time for it to heal. Now I'm feeling good and ready to go.”
If Williams truly is healthy and “ready to go,” he’s someone the Bears should bring back at a low-cost, non-guaranteed contract—somewhere around $1 million a season, if not less.
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2. QB Jimmy Clausen
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Jimmy Clausen showed enough during his one start in 2014 to warrant another contract from the Bears. He performed admirably against the Detroit Lions, who, at the time, were the NFL’s top-rated defense. He completed 23 of 39 passes for 181 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Clausen is competent, and that’s exactly what the Bears need on the depth chart behind Jay Cutler, who all but certainly will be back under center in Chicago next season after the team signed Dowell Loggains—who is a huge fan of Cutler dating back to his days at Vanderbilt, according to ESPNChicago's Jon Greenberg—to be the new quarterbacks coach.
If the Bears do indeed bring back Cutler—the NFL’s leader in turnovers and someone who has missed 13 games in the past four seasons—having a veteran who can play behind him would make a lot of sense.
Seeing as Cutler and Clausen already have a rapport together, re-signing the former Notre Dame quarterback would be logical.
Clausen earned $645,000 on a one-year deal in 2014. No one is going to give him the kind of money the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave Josh McCown one offseason ago, so it stands to reason the Bears could re-sign the Southern California QB with $2 million over two seasons, with $500,000-$750,000 in guaranteed money.
1. DT Stephen Paea
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Stephen Paea is coming off his best season as a professional football player. The defensive tackle product recorded six sacks while playing 65 percent of the snaps. Pro Football Focus rated Paea as the fourth-best pass-rusher among defensive tackles and the 11th-best overall.
Before starting all 16 games in 2014, Paea missed nine games in the previous three. The Bears expected a lot from him when they selected him in the second round of the 2011 draft, and now it’s time to see the potential play out on the field.
We know Paea can be a beast next to Jeremiah Ratliff in the middle of a 4-3 scheme, but can he play in a 3-4 if new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio elects to install a new scheme for 2015? Judging by his size (6'1", 300 lbs) and strength, chances are he can play in the middle of either scheme.
The Bears likely won’t have to break the bank to re-sign Paea, who earned $1.1 million in 2014. A four-year deal in the range of $3-5 million per season looks to be fair-market value.
Salary information provided by OvertheCap.com.
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