Chicago Bears: Players Guaranteed to Be Gone After 2012 Season

The discussion around the Chicago area is whether or not head coach Lovie Smith and his staff will be back on the sidelines next season.

The Bears are in a current state of free fall, as their playoff chances are dwindling more and more each week. There is a lot of blame to go around in explaining how a team goes from 7-1 to 8-6, and it is obvious that some coaches won't have jobs next season.

However, some players will be joining them in their search for work this offseason. Here are four players who won't be back with the Bears in 2013.

Jason Campbell

The Jason Campbell backup experiment will soon be over in Chicago.

The Bears have a history of struggling to find a good starting quarterback (until Jay Cutler), let alone a backup. Campbell is better than Caleb Hanie, but when Cutler went down, Campbell couldn't get the job done.

It's a tough task to go up against the 49ers in your first start of the season and it showed. Campbell was sacked six times against San Francisco and threw two interceptions (52.7 QB rating).

Campbell's contract is up after this season and backup quarterbacks in the NFL move around like relief pitchers in baseball. There will be a new face backing up Cutler in 2013.

Kellen Davis

Kellen Davis has been one of the more highly criticized players on the Bears this season.

The former fifth-round pick has simply not panned out as a starting tight end, hauling in only 17 catches and two touchdowns this season.

Davis has dropped too many passes and missed too many blocking assignments to warrant the $3+ million he's due next season.

Expect the Bears to look for a replacement in free agency and the draft, as Davis will be playing elsewhere next year.

D.J. Moore

D.J. Moore can thank Randall Cobb for his exit from Chicago this season.

Moore was faced with the task of slowing down Cobb in the slot last week, and he failed miserably. Cobb finished the game with six catches for 115 yards.

To his credit, Moore is typically only used in dime packages and on special teams, but he did not look like a player worthy of a job last week. Moore is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and he will likely be making his home somewhere other than the Windy City.

Israel Idonije

Israel Idonije has had some nice seasons in Chicago but with his expiring contract, this one will likely be his last.

Idonije has had at least five sacks the last three years, including eight in 2010. The nine-year veteran has been a nice complement to Julius Peppers, but it will soon be Shea McClellin's turn to fill the role.

Keeping Idonije wouldn't be a bad option, but the Bears will need to dish out money to the offensive line in free agency. Look for Cutler to possibly get an extension as well, since he will be a free agent after the 2013 season.

It's been a good run for Idonije, but like some other veterans on the defense (Brian Urlacher), their time in Chicago may be up.