Thread: Post Combine Mock Offseason

Re-signings [14.4 million spent]

DT Henry Melton 5 years 37.5 million/20 guaranteed

The Bears drafted a player in the 4th round that has turned into a Pro Bowl player and a dynamic interior pass rusher and he must be re-signed. This deal puts him in the top 10 of DTs and should allow the Bears to keep him happy while not breaking the bank.

Year 1: 1 million salary/ 4 million guaranteed [5]
Year 2: 3 million salary/ 5 million guaranteed [8] Peppers Gone
Year 3: 4 million salary/ 5 million guaranteed [9] Cap Projected to Increase
Year 4: 4 million salary/ 5 million guaranteed [9]
Year 5: 5.5 million salary/ 1 million guaranteed [6.5] Restructure Space with Low Bonus

OG Lance Louis 4 years 12 million/4 guaranteed

This deal is similar to the one signed by Kraig Ubrik in Buffalo and the Bears protect themselves with a lower guarantee and the language of the contract. If healthy Louis can still make his money and if injured still the Bears can get out with paying him the 1 year total and allowing him to move on. The heavy back load gives the Bears options.

Year 1: 1 million salary [1]
Year 2: 2 million salary/ 2 million guaranteed [4]
Year 3: 2 million salary/ 2 million guaranteed [4]
Year 4: 3 million salary/ [3]

LB Brian Urlacher 2 years 6 million/4 guaranteed/4 incentives

Urlacher comes back for 2 years on a team friendly incentive deal and is allowed to retire a Bear and get his Ray Lewis send off and he can still earn 5 and 6 million respectively if he can lead the defense for 80% of snaps. If he cannot the Bears can move on and he will only cost 2 million in dead space.

Year 1: 1 million salary/ 2 million guaranteed/1 million [50% of snaps], 1 million [80% of snaps] [3]
Year 2: 1 million salary/ 2 million guaranteed/1 million [50% of snaps], 1 million [80% of snaps] [3]

LB Nick Roach 3 years 8 million/3 guaranteed

He is a versatile back up who can start at SLB and back up all 3 positions. He has always produced for this defense and deserves to be back.

Year 1: 1 million salary [1]
Year 2: 1 million salary/ 2 million guaranteed [3]
Year 3: 3 million salary/ 1 million guaranteed [4] Probably Released

CB Kelvin Hayden 2 years 4 million/2 guaranteed

The nickle back and primary back up is important in this defense and while the days of Hayden being a long term starter are over I think he fits in this defense, likes the city and will give the Bears a reasonable deal to stick around.

Year 1: 1 million salary/ 1 million guaranteed [2]
Year 2: 1 million salary/ 1 million guaranteed [2]

OT John Scott 1 year 1 million/500K guaranteed [1]

He played pretty well at RT and he looks like a nice potential swing OT and back up.

RB Armando Allen RFA Tender [700K]

He has the speed and hands that Trestman likes as a potential compliment to the much bigger Bush and Forte and he was good on special teams.

DT Nate Colins RFA Tender [700K]

This is a steal for a guy with as much potenital as Collins who flashed last season. The Bears let Okoye go to bring him back in.

Cuts [3.8 million saved]

WR Devin Hester [1.8 million]

Angelo built Hester into something he could not be leaving him bitter and emotional and the fans resentful that they did not get their sprinkles and twiests. Hester has not developed as WR and he is declining as a kick returner. On top of on field decline he has become poutty and emotional and he clearly needs a fresh start. I try to trade him but then I move on.

TE Kellen Davis [2 million]

This explanation is easy to write as Davis is terrible at everything, he was a Lovie guy and the Bears can cut him and get 2 million dollars back.

Restructure and Extend [8.5 million saved]

WR Brandon Marshall [6 million saved]

Original Deal: 2 year 18 million
New Deal: 4 years 44 million/30 guaranteed [11 million a season like other top WRs]
Total Contract: 6 years 62 million/30 guaranteed [44 million in new money, 30 million in new guarantees]

Year 1 Original Deal [2013]: 1 million salary/2 guaranteed [3]
Year 2 Original Deal [2014]: 5 million salary/4 million guaranteed [9]
Year 3: 6 million salary/ 7 million guaranteed [13]
Year 4: 6 million salary/ 7 million guaranteed [13]
Year 5: 6 million salary/ 7 million guaranteed [13]
Year 6: 9 million salary/ 3 million guaranteed [12] Probably Released, also low bonus space for restructuring.

CB Charles Tillman [5 million saved]

Original Deal: 1 year 8 million
New Money: 3 years 21 million/15 guaranteed [7.25 average salary]
Total Contract 4 years 29 million/15 guaranteed

Year 1 Original Deal [2013]: 1 million salary/2 guaranteed [3]
Year 2: 3 million salary/ 5 million guaranteed [8]
Year 3: 4 million salary/ 5 million guaranteed [9]
Year 4: 6 million salary/ 3 million guaranteed [9] Can be cut for a 5 million savings.

DE Cory Wootton [-2.5]

I am extending Wootton on a modest 3 year extension that allows the Bears to use some cap space this season and gives him a pay bump that protects him if he gets hurt.

Original Deal: 1 year 1.5 million
New Money: 3 years 14.5 million/8 guaranteed
Total Contract: 4 years 16 million/8 guaranteed

Year 1: 1 million salary/3 million guaranteed [4]
Year 2: 2 million salary/2 million guaranteed [4]
Year 3: 2 million salary/2 million guaranteed [4]
Year 4: 3 million salary/1 million guaranteed [4]

Free Agents [7 million spent]

OT Jermon Bushrod [New Orleans] 5 years 27.5 million/14 guaranteed

Year 1: 1 million salary/2 million guaranteed [3]
Year 2: 2 million salary/ 4 million guaranteed [6]
Year 3: 2.5 million salary/ 4 million guaranteed [6.5]
Year 4: 3 million salary/3 million guaranteed [6]
Year 5: 5 million salary/1 million guaranteed [6] Possible Cut/Restructure Room

The Bears can make significant upgrades to their OL without having to invest in a premiere free agent. Bushrod is not an elite OT despite being to a couple of Pro Bowls. What Bushrod is, is an upgrade over Webb who will allow the Bears to move Webb to RT where he is an upgrade over Carmi/Scott in essence improving 2 positions. Bushrod is also well known by this coaching staff which lowers the risks involved and could even move inside to OG if the Bears are fortunate enough to have a LT fall to them in the draft.

He is not an elite player, but he is a solid, competent starter and he makes the line better.



TE Delanie Walker 4 years 16 million/6 guaranteed

Year 1: 2 million salary/ 1 million guaranteed [3]
Year 2: 2 million salary/ 2 million guaranteed [4]
Year 3: 3 million salary/ 2 million guaranteed [5]
Year 4: 3 million/salary/ 1 million guaranteed [4]

A tough physical blocker and a player that has the speed to stretch the field and create mismatches. Walker did not get a full time oppurtunity to show what he had in San Francisco. In Chicago he will get a chance to start at TE and his ability to split out and line up in the backfield make him a versatile weapon.



QB Kellen Clemens [St. Louis] 2 years 2 million/1 guaranteed

Year 1: 1 million guaranteed [1]
Year 2: 1 million salary [1]

The Bears need a cheaper back up option than Jason Campbell and Clemens is a smart player that has started games in the league.




Draft

1[1] Kansas City Chiefs: OT Luke Joeckel [Texas A&M]
1[2] Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Jarvis Jones [Georgia]
1[3] Oakland Raiders: DT Sharif Floyd [Florida]
1[4] Philadelphia Eagles: OLB Dion Jordan [Oregon]
1[5] Detroit Lions: CB Dee Millner [Alabama]
1[6] Cleveland Browns: DE Bjoern Werner [Florida St]
1[7] Arizona Cardinals: OT Eric Fisher [Central Michigan]
1[8] Buffalo Bills: QB Geno Smith [West Virginia]
1[9] New York Jets: WR Cordarrelle Patterson [Tennessee]
1[10] Tennessee Titans: DE Demontre Moore [Texas A&M]
1[11] San Diego Chargers: OT Lane Johnson [Oklahoma]
1[12] Miami Dolphins: DT Star Louteli [Utah]
1[13] Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Jonathan Banks [Mississippi St]
1[14] Carolina Panthers: DT Sheldon Richardson [Missouri]
1[15] New Orleans Saints: OLB Barkevious Mingo [LSU]
1[16] St. Louis Rams: OG Chance Warmack [Alabama]
1[17] Pittsburgh Steelers: S Kenny Vaccaro [Texas]
1[18] Dallas Cowboys: OG/C Jonathan Cooper [UNC]
1[19] New York Giants: DE Ezekial Ansah [BYU]

1[20] OG D.J Fluker [Alabama] 6'5" 339lbs. [21 reps, 5.32 40, 37" arms]

The Bears need many thing on the OL and Fluker provides many of those things despite not being a perfect prospect.

1. Fluker brings the size and arm length that the Bears need at OG if they are going to run Kromer's short set pass protection scheme. We all know Fluker is big and incredibly powerful, but with 37" arms, which are ridiculous, he is able to get a hold of defenders before they are out of their stance. Fluker sturggles with elite edge speed, but by putting him inside and asking him to short set we eliminate his major weakness.

2. Fluker is a rare athlete in the fact that he is bigger and stonger than almost everyone he plays against. And I am not talking about the 21 reps, I am taling about the ability to physically move and control NFL lineman. Physically he looks like Mike Iupati or Caril Nicks and he plays with similar physical impact.

3. Fluker plays mean and with an attitude and too often last year our line was pysically man handled and people took liberties with our QB. Fluker instantly bring aggression and attitude and plays like he is in a street fight. We need more Fluker's on the line to physically beat up our opposition and to make Jay feel safe. Great lines like the 49ers simply beat people up till they quit. On top of his aggression and finish is his positive hard working attitude off the field where he has said he wants to be the Ray Lewis of his OL.

Fluker is not the perfect OLmen and he will never play LT and probably never play RT, but he is what the Bears need to change the size, power, and attitude on the Bears line.



2[50] LB Khaseem Greene [Rutgers] 6'1" 241lbs. [17 reps, 4.71 40, 30" vertical]

Greene is one of my favorirte players in the draft and he is a versatile LB that the Bears can use. Greene is a converted safety who can still cover, that moved to LB where he become a sideline to sideline tackling machine for a very tough and physical Rutgers defense. Greene has the speed and cover ability to play on the weakside, but I also think he has the size and physicality to hold up in the middle of the defense. Beyond tackles, the guy is a tough, instinctive and physical football player that strikes ball carriers and makes plays. In this plan he gets a year to learn from Urlacher at MLB while playing special teams and competing at the SLB spot with Roach. This guy is just a football player through and through.



4. WR Kenny Stills [OU] 6' 194lbs. [16 reps, 4.38 40, 30.5" vertical]

The Bears are lacking one thing from their recieving core with the release of Johnny Knox and that is pure deep speed. Stills has that deep speed and better size than Johnny Knox. Stills showed at Oklahoma that he could make plays down field and that he could be a threat. For the Bears Stills can be a rotational player in the slot, who has experience on the outside, and he can be used to take the top off of a defense and to take advantage of mismatches. Trestman operates in a similar manner to Sean Payton who rotates the #2-#5 WRs into the game to take advantage of matchups and set up play progressions. Stills is a value, cost effectve and a realistic way to add speed.



5. DE Malliciah Goodman [Clemson] 6'3" 276lbs. [26 reps, 4.87 40, 36 3/8" arms]

I do not believe that Julius Peppers will be on the team in 2014 and while the Bears have there long terms starters on the team in Wootton and McClellin they need to start to develop their rotation for when Peppers leaves. Goodman can be the 4th DE in 2013 and get some development time. Goodman is a raw player right now with great phsysical skills that needs time developing.



6. C Joe Madsen [West Virginia] 6'3" 310lbs. [25 reps, 5.2 40, 30" arms]

The Bears address their 2 biggest needs on the OL with Bushrod [LT] and Fluker [LG], but not far from those needs is C where Garza is declining quickly and may not have anything left in the tank. By drafting Madsen who is not an elite athlete, but is stout and powerful the Bears can open up a competition at C between Garze, Madsen and E. Williams and may be able to release Garza if he does not win. Madsen does not need to be flashy or overly talented because he is playing between to massive, street fighters in Louis and Fluker, he just needs to make the right calls and get the protections set up.




Depth Chart

QB: Cutler, Clemens
RB: Forte, Bush, Allen
WR: Marshall, Jeffery, Bennett, Stills, Weems, Anderson
TE: Walker, Rodriguez, Spaeth
LT: Bushrod
LG: Fluker, Brown [PR]
C: Garza, Madsen
RG: Louis, Carimi
RT: Webb, Scott

RE: Peppers, McClellin
DT: Melton, Collins
NT: Paea, Toenia
LE: Wootton, Goodman
SLB: Roach, Costanzo, Trahan
MLB: Urlacher, Greene
WLB: Briggs, Thomas
CB: Tillman, Jennings, Hayden, Frey, McManis
SS: Wright, Steltz
FS: Conte, Hardin, Walter