5 Biggest Needs Chicago Bears Have Yet to Address This Offseason
In the early part of the new league year, the Chicago Bears have done a nice job of addressing some of their biggest needs via free agency.ย
After officially signing outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, wide receiver Eddie Royal and safety Antrel Rolle the day after free agency opened, the team also signed guard Vladimir Ducasse and long snapper Thomas Gafford within the past week.
While all five of those players help fill needs, the team still has plenty of positions that need to be addressed this offseason.
According to the NFLPA, the Bears currently have $15,226,038ย in salary-cap space.
A portion of that money will need to be reserved for the incoming draft class, and Jeremy Stoltz of BearReport.com recently broke down how much money the team actually has available to spend.
"Each team allocates roughly $6 million for the incoming draft class, leaving the Bears with $9.45 million in spending money," Stoltz wrote. "In addition, teams need in-season cash to replace injured or under-performing players. In reality, the Bears have between $7 million-$9 million to spend in free agency."
With roughly $8 million available, the Bears will need to either be creative with any new contracts, or they will need to find players willing to sign one-year prove-it deals.
While their salary-cap space is slightly limited, the Bears still have major needs they need to address between now and the start of the 2015 season.
Here are the five biggest needs the Bears have yet to address this offseason.
5-Technique Defensive End Position
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The Bears are making the switch to a 3-4 defense this offseason, and while they appear to have plenty of outside linebackers who can play in a 3-4, head coach John Fox did not sound too sure about the defensive end position when asked about it last week, via Rich Campbell of theย Chicago Tribune:
"Fox on who on the roster currently fits as a 3-4 DE: "That's hard for me to answer right now." Says they'll keeping pushing thru FA, Draft
โ Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) March 11, 2015"
A 3-4 defensive endย typically lines up on the outside shoulder of the tackle and uses his size and strength to set the edge vs. the run.ย
As of right now, the Bears do not have anyone currently on the roster who fits that mold.ย
Veteran Jeremiah Ratliff has the strength to play the 5-technique, but he lacks the bulk that is desired at the position. The team could use Cornelius Washington or David Bass, but both have struggled vs. the run in the past and project better as edge-rushers.
One guy on the free-agent market who could interest the team is former Green Bay Packers first-round pick B.J. Raji.
While he is viewed as more of a nose tackle than a defensive end, Raji played the 5-technique for the Packers in 2013 and part of 2012.ย
He missed all of last season with a bicep injury, but in five seasons with the Packers he registered 10.5 sacks and 129 tackles.ย He is not an ideal fit, but his flexibility would be a welcomed addition.
If the Bears want to go younger, Stanford's Henry Anderson could be an option in the draft.
In four years at Stanford, Anderson registered 142 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 17 sacks. He played both nose tackle and defensive end, but he proved to be more effective on the outside.
According to NFL.com, he measured in a 6'6" and 294 pounds at the combine back in February, but he will need to add more weight if he wants to be a consistent contributor. He is a work in progress but could be a steal if he is still available in the third round.
Inside Linebacker
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While the Bears have plenty of guys who can play outside linebacker in a 3-4, they have very few inside linebackers currently on their roster.
Jon Bostic will likely be one of the starters at inside linebacker, but the second spot appears to be wide open.
Fox was asked at the combine if former first-round pick Shea McClellin will make the move from strong-side linebacker to inside linebacker this offseason, but Fox said no decision has been made.
โThatโs something weโve talked about,โ Fox said at the time, via Michael C. Wright of ESPN Chicago. โBut I almost canโt even say right now if heโs going to be an inside or an outside backer until we get on the grass and watch him perform.โ
Christian Jones started five games last season as an undrafted rookie and registered 69 tackles and two sacks. He played all three linebacker spots while at Florida State and is athletic enough to drop in coverage, but he may be better suited on the outside.
Back on March 12, it looked like the Bears were close to signing Mason Foster to a three-year deal, according to Jen Lada of CSN Chicago:
"Hearing the #Bears are close on a 3 yr deal w/ Mason Foster. ILB has been a FA target since beginning. #NFLFreeAgency
โ Jen Lada (@JenLada) March 12, 2015"
Since Lada's report, no new information has come out.
Foster makes sense for the Bears because he is young and has the ability to stop the run, but if the two sides cannot come to an agreement, the team will have to look elsewhere.
The Bears could always re-sign Darryl Sharptonโwho played well in a limited role last seasonโor they could look at veterans like Brandon Spikes or Nate Irving.
Spikes is strictly a two-down linebacker, but he has consistently been one of the league's best run-stuffers at the position. Irving has familiarity with Fox from their time spent together in Denver, and although he is coming off a season-ending knee injury, he is an explosive linebacker who also plays well vs. the run.
Center
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Just before the start of free agency, Brad Biggs of theย Chicago Tribune reported the Bears were interested in center Stefen Wisniewski. Days later, Biggs also reported the team was interested in center Samson Satele.ย
In addition to Biggs' reports, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com listed the Bears as one of five teams interested in center/guard Dan Connolly:
"#Patriots want him back. Seahawks (center), Bucs (guard), Bears (c), MIA (g) interested RT @Jmoneyschofield: @RapSheet where is Dan Connolly
โ Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2015"
Even though the Bears gave Roberto Garza a one-year contract extension in late December, it looks like they may be willing to move on from the 14-year veteran if they can find a better option in free agency.
Garza has been with the team since 2005, but his play has steadily declined in recent years.
According to Pro Football Focus, Garza finished last season with a minus-1.3 overall grade, including a minus-6.7 pass-block grade.
If the team cannot land Wisniewski, Satele or Connolly in free agency, they could re-sign veteran Brian de la Puente.
De la Puente signed a one-year deal with the team last offseason and appeared in 12 games.ย According to Pro Football Focus, he played just 320 snaps at center last season, but he graded out as the league's seventh-best center with a plus-8.2 grade.
Garza's leadership would be missed in the locker room, but it looks like the Bears want to get younger at the position.
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No. 2 Wide Receiver
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Even though the Bears signed Royal to a three-year deal, the team still has a need at the wide receiver position.
Royal gives the team an explosive receiver out of the slot, but he has been in the league since 2008 and has never had a 1,000-yard season.
After hauling in 91 catches for 980 yards in his rookie season in 2008, he has topped the 700-yard receiving mark just once, and he has only hauled in 60-plus catches in a season twice in his career.
He will likely play a big role in Chicago's offense in 2015, but the team still needs a viable No. 2 receiver to play alongside Alshon Jeffery.
The free-agent market dried up quickly at the position with guys like Randall Cobb, Jeremy Maclin and Torrey Smith signing new long-term deals, meaning the Bears' best option to find a No. 2 receiver will likely be in the draft.
West Virginia's Kevin White and Alabama's Amari Cooper could both be options for the Bears with the seventh overall pick, but if the team wants to use its first pick on defense, there should be a bevy of talented wide receivers to choose from in the second round.
USC's Nelson Agholor, UCF's Breshad Perriman, Florida State's Rashad Greene, Miami's Phillip Dorsett and Kansas State's Tyler Lockett could all potentially be available when the Bears make their pick in the second round.
If the team wants someone with speed who can take the top off opposing defenses, Dorsett and Lockett look like the best options.
According to NFL.com, Dorsett ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine in February. He needs to improve his route running, but his speed alone should help him become a dynamic receiving threat in the NFL.
Lockett is a more polished receiver and ran a 4.40 40-yard dash at the combine, according to NFL.com.
Even with two established receivers on the roster in Jeffery and Royal, the Bears still have a glaring need at the position, and they will need to address the No. 2 receiver spot before the start of the 2015 season.
Nose Tackle
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In addition to not adding any 5-technique defensive ends so far this offseason, the Bears have also neglected the nose tackle position.
Ratliff and second-year man Ego Ferguson appear to be the front-runners for the position, but Ratliff will turn 34 in August and Ferguson showed very little in limited opportunities last season.
The top nose tackles on the marketโTerrance Knighton, Dan Williams and Vince Wilforkโall signed deals within the last week with new teams, leaving the nose tackle market relatively thin.
Even with the free-agent market thinned out at the position, guys like Barry Cofield, Red Bryant and Raji could all provide value at a relatively cheap price.
Cofield spent five seasons with the New York Giants before signing with the Washington Redskins in 2011. In nine seasons in the league, Cofield has registered 310 tackles, 19.5 sacks and 26 pass deflections in 135 career games.
Like Raji, Cofield has the ability to play both nose tackle and defensive end in a 3-4, but he is likely best suited playing nose tackle.
Bryant was a fourth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks back in 2008 and has registered 143 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 80 career games.
If the Bears want to solidify the position for years to come, they could take a look at Washington's Danny Shelton in the draft.
At 6'2" and 339 pounds, according to NFL.com, Shelton has terrific size for the nose tackle position. He is powerful at the point of attack, uses his hands well and eats up a lot of space in the middle. While he is at his best vs. the run, he does have the ability to occasionally apply pressure to the quarterback.
Regardless of whether the Bears decide to add a nose tackle in the draft or free agency, improving the position this offseason should be a top priority.
Statistical information courtesy ofย NFL.comย andย Sports-Reference.comย unless otherwise noted.
Mattย Eurichย is a Chicago Bears Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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