Chicago Bears' Remaining Post-Draft Priority List

Let the rest of the world tell it, chaos surrounds the Chicago Bears after the 2017 NFL draft.

Either way, the Bears have a clear set of tasks ahead.

Maybe rumors about a rift between general manager Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox, courtesy of CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora, are true. Maybe not. If they are, the two sure hid it well in public during the draft-recap process.

It's hard to imagine the two aren't on the same page with the draft in the books and rebuilding plan clear. Between now and the start of the season, the Bears have several notable details on the to-do list, ranging from additions to subtractions and a handful of critical roster battles.

Rumors making the rounds or not, it's hard not to look at Chicago in a positive manner as the youth movement continues.

Below, let's look at what the Bears need to do in the coming months to keep the rebuild moving in the right direction.

Perusing the Market

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There's no reason for the Bears to stop making additions to the roster now.

Chicago had a strong draft within the confines of how Pace wants to approach the rebuild. Reinforcing problem areas with quality free agents even after the draft, though, is a good way to keep things moving in the right direction.

Pace has wasted little time in this regard, setting up a visit with former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Jaye Howard, according to ESPN.com's Adam Schefter.

Howard is a good start. He only played in eight games last year and seemed like an obvious cut candidate. But his experience in Kansas City's 3-4 base front speaks well to what he'd do in Chicago—reinforce the depth at the position. He could spell Akiem Hicks, if not kick inside, perhaps giving the Bears another option if nose tackle Eddie Goldman struggles with injuries again.

It's additions like this the Bears should seek. All can come cheap and with little guaranteed money after this season, just like all of Pace's signings.

Some notables still on the market to keep in mind are offensive tackle Ryan Clady, linebacker Justin Durant and pass-rusher Dwight Freeney.

Trimming the Roster

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Now moving in the other direction, Pace and the front office still have some notable cut decisions to make.

The Bears already waived six players on Monday, according to Larry Mayer of the team's official website. These were small moves, though, and the most notable name let go was probably cornerback Jacoby Glenn.

Bigger cuts might follow.

The Bears want to get young guys playing time this year while surrounding them by veterans on contracts with little in the way of guaranteed cash after 2017. Chicago isn't hurting for money, but this approach leaves question marks around guys like tight end Zach Miller, wideout Eddie Royal and pass-rusher Lamarr Houston.

Those mentioned guys, plus a few others, aren't overly hurting the Bears in a financial sense. But they haven't contributed much as of late either and now stand in the way of Pace's young core getting quality snaps, which plays well into the next point on the to-do list.

Get the Rookies Up to Speed Quickly

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Much of the criticism surrounding Chicago's draft this year stems from the fact Pace decided to take "risks" on smaller-school players from places like Ashland, North Carolina A&T and Kutztown.

Never mind the fact hindsight could smile on Pace as an innovator for worrying more about traits than quality of competition—the approach and state of the overall roster means the Bears need to get the rookie class involved and even taking starter snaps soon.

This means letting rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky see starting snaps this summer and into the preseason. Not enough to challenge Mike Glennon because it's best to still let him redshirt his rookie year, but the sooner he starts on this, the better.

Same story for Adam Shaheen (Ashland). "Adam's projected to play early," Pace said, per the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs, so giving him more snaps than Miller and free-agent add Dion Sims is a must.

Readers can see where this is going. Rookie safety Eddie Jackson (Alabama) could slide in and start next to free-agent add Quintin Demps. Running back Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T) should immediately spell Jordan Howard. Even Jordan Morgan (Kutztown) should see significant runs this summer while the Bears take it easy on veterans in the middle of the line such as Josh Sitton and Kyle Long. 

This all sounds rather routine, but for this stage of the rebuild, Chicago has to get a high-upside draft-class experience and fast.

Figure out the Secondary

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As hinted above with the comment about Jackson and Demps at safety, the Bears have some figuring out to do when it comes to a revamped secondary.

This applies to corner as much as it does safety.

Thanks to his range, Jackson will fight for the starter role with the likes of Adrian Amos. At corner, new boundary additions Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper will compete with names such as Kyle Fuller for playing time.

Slot and nickel candidates such as Bryce Callahan and Cre'Von LeBlanc boast tantalizing upside depth, but how the chart actually filters out by the time the regular season rolls around isn't so easy to figure out.

This has yet to mention the versatility options available to the Bears. Deiondre' Hall sounds like a candidate to see snaps at safety and Fuller could wind up doing so as well if he can't get on the field in a boundary role.

Pace made good on attacking one of the roster's biggest question marks this offseason. The summer stretch right into the regular season must now identify the best players to put on the field while also keeping in mind the future-leaning slant of the rebuild.

Settle the Offense

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No, this doesn't have to do with a quarterback battle. 

The 2017 Bears are Glennon's team—the Bears like him because he has upside. His being essentially on a one-year deal wasn't a secret and if the team has plans to move on from him after 2017, this is a critical audition year so he can cash in with another team. This line of thinking shouldn't need confirmation because it has been written on the wall for so long, but alas. 

"Mike's our starting quarterback. Mitch is here to develop," Pace said, per Biggs' colleagues, Rich Campbell and Dan Wiederer.

The rest of the offense isn't so settled.

Chicago needs to settle how Cohen actually fits into the backfield. Howard is the workhorse, but it's too early to throw in the towel on Jeremy Langford.

At tight end, the coaches have to decide if Miller sticks on the roster. If he does, Shaheen might not see significant snaps because Miller is the pass-catching option while Sims is the reputable blocker.

Then there's wideout. The team still hopes Kevin White realizes his potential, which would form a stout tandem if Cameron Meredith continues on his current trajectory. But if the team keeps Royal on the roster, where does that leave free-agent adds such as the slot-potent Kendall Wright or deep threat Markus Wheaton?

All these questions need answered and when they are, the pieces need notable time to develop chemistry and get on the same page. Injuries across the board ruined this aim last year, so the Bears know better than most how important it is to settle into a lineup quickly and go from there.

Like the rest of the roster, the Bears have some nice upside on offense. Unearthing it as the offseason progresses is the key to an improvement on last year's franchise-worst disaster.

All contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise specified. Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.