Chicago Bears: Top 6 Positions That Will Have New Starters in 2018
Mired in a dramatic rebuild, the Chicago Bears went through serious overhauls resulting in new starters at a handful of positions one offseason ago.
It isn't insanity, but the Bears will do the same process again this offseason.
A transition year while still building the roster primarily through the draft leaves general manager Ryan Pace and his front office with no other choice.
Regressions, injuries and a simple line of succession will work to ensure the Bears have several new core pieces starting at various spots next season in what seems projected to be a year for serious improvement.
Let's look at the how and why behind some of those positions set to see new starters in 2018.
Edge-Rusher
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Obviously, Leonard Floyd isn't going anywhere. But this feels like the end for the opposite side of the field, where Pernell McPhee has been in and out of the lineup for years.
Not only that, Willie Young went to injured reserve this season, robbing the team of a fantastic rotational piece, so it's easy to presume the Bears will treat this premium spot with high regard in free agency and the draft.
McPhee again won't play in a full 16-game season for the Bears, and his contract has an out built into it. Unless he has a late-season outburst, his four sacks won't surpass his previous high of six for Chicago.
The only question here is whether the Bears find the new starter in the draft or free agency, though the former seems more likely because teams aren't simply letting elite edge-rushers go these days.
Inside Linebacker
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The end is nigh for what could have been one of the league's best insider linebacker tandems.
Instead, Danny Trevathan might stick around, but it's hard to imagine Jerrell Freeman is back with the team. He went to injured reserve and then got hit with a 10-game ban that will stretch into next season.
Cutting Freeman, or should he retire due to health issues, will save the Bears about $3.5 million. The team isn't hurting for cap space, but a youth movement as the team grows around Mitchell Trubisky isn't the worst idea.
Rather than dip into free agency for one or both of these inside spots again, it might be wiser for the Bears to prioritize the spot in the middle rounds of the draft. Either way, a stopgap tandem did its job somewhat well while the Bears focused elsewhere.
Defensive End
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This one, at least, shouldn't require the Bears going out and getting some help.
Mitch Unrein, a respectable veteran and something of a stopgap solution, held down the fort well on Vic Fangio's front but has landed on injured reserve this year.
On paper, this should pave the way for a former second-round pick such as Jonathan Bullard, who has already looked good on limited chances.
Adam Hoge of WGN Radio echoed these sentiments: "Jonathan Bullard has played well when he has gotten his opportunities. Snaps should go up in the final four games now."
Bullard didn't get on the field much as a rookie while fine-tuning his game, but by his third year, he should be looking like an every-down starter, making the process easy on the coaching staff and front office.
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Cornerback
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Unless the Bears pull off a miracle at corner, they're going to trot out at least one new boundary guy in 2018.
The Bears had an unexpected development this year, getting a resurgence from Kyle Fuller right after declining his fifth-year option. They also got a strong season from free-agent add Prince Amukamara, meaning they have one of the best problems in the NFL.
It's hard to say how the Bears choose to tackle the issue. There's enough money for both, but it's a big ask to keep both guys off the open market. Amukamara is older and was initially brought in on a small prove-it deal, so he could command less than Fuller, a former first-round pick who still boasts immense upside.
One of the two is bound to get away, meaning the Bears will roll with a top pick or again go after a top name as they did with Stephon Gilmore.
The Bears have options here, but they don't have the depth necessary to promote from within, making corner one of the offseason's top priorities.
Tight End
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Here's another area the Bears had a long-term vision at in the last offseason.
Then, the front office brought on free agent Dion Sims and drafted Adam Shaheen, a stroke of foresight with two different types of players that only looks better in the wake of the injury suffered by Zach Miller.
The Bears can save a large chunk of change by cutting ties with Sims, though keeping one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL isn't the worst idea.
But it's Shaheen who is poised to move up into the top slot on the depth chart. Oddly ignored for most of this year, the 6'5" rookie some call "Baby Gronk" should be ready to take over every-down duties by his sophomore campaign.
Wide Receiver
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Wideout seems like this year's secondary. A year ago, the Bears trotted out four new starters there, two at corner and two at safety.
In 2018, the Bears could do much the same after Cameron Meredith on the depth chart, though even he has a slight question mark next to his name after the season-ending injury he suffered early this year.
The Bears could look to bring back Kendall Wright because he's a solid slot player, but fellow free-agent add from last season Markus Wheaton is as good as gone after busting. So is Kevin White, who once again suffered another rough injury.
This is another area the Bears could choose to address early in the 2018 draft, as pairing a high-end prospect with Trubisky is a tried-and-true approach. Free agency has some interesting options as well, though, with guys such as Allen Robinson and Jarvis Landry, among others, possibly headed to the open market.
Either way, knowing the situation around Trubisky has to improve quickly, the Bears will revamp the spot and find new starters at multiple spots here.
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