Thread: The Under the Radar/Out of Left Field Mock Offseason

The Tavon Austin 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 7 million/4 guaranteed

This deal is really a 1 year 5 milllion dollar deal, but allows the Bears to split it up over 2 years and they could potentially keep him for a 2nd year. Urlacher takes a team friendly deal that still compensates him well and he gets to retire a Bear. The Bears can cut him in 2014 and only owen him 1 million.

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

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 million spent]

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

OT Gosder Cherilus [Detroit] 5 years 22.5 million/10 guaranteed

Year 1: 2 million salary/ 2 guaranteed [4]
Year 2: 2.5 million salary/2 guaranteed [4.5]
Year 3: 3 million salary/2 guaranteed [5]
Year 4: 3 million salary/2 guranteed [5]
Year 5: 2 million salary/2 guaranteed [4]

Cherilus is a solid starting RT in a pass happy offense and he can stabilize arguably our weakest position if Carimi is permantly moved inside. Cherilus istantly becomes our best OLmen, but still allows the team to see if Webb can hold up in the Trestman system. Cherilus also brings a ton of attitude and nastiness to a line that was pushed around to often last season.



OG Matt Slauson [NY Jets] 4 years 14 million/5 guaranteed

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

Slauson like Bushrod is not an elite player at OG, but he is a solid NFL starter who can provide a clear upgrade at LG. Slauson has the size [6'5" 320lbs] that the Bears are looking for and is an above average pass blocker allowing 0 sacks in 14 starts last season. If the Bears draft an OG early Slauson will back up at OG, get work at C and cover the Bears if Louis is injured. He is not making so much that he cannot be a great depth player since depth has killed the Bears OL.



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[20] WR Tavon Austin [West Virgnia] 5'8" 175lbs.

Austin does not play OL, nor does he play TE or LB, but what he does is create mismatches, attack defenses from different places and provide Randall Cobb type versatility to the offense. Austin can play a Wes Welker type role in the slot and can line up in the backfield for swing passes and screens. Austin might not have ideal size, but what he has is world class speed [4.34 official/4.25 unofficial] and an ability to score from anywhere on the field. He is the missing speed element when Jeffery and Marshall are on the outside. Phil Emery wants to attack the middle of the field and Marc Trestman loves mismatches and to have weapons you can out scheme opposing defense with.



*Trade* The Chicago Bears trade 2[50] to the Jacksonville Jaguars for 3[64] and 4[106] and a 7th in 2014.

The Bears do not draft a serious need in the 1st, so they move down to add youth and depth to a number of positions.

3[64] C Brian Schwenke [Cal] 6'3" 314lbs.

With LG upgraded with solid, competent starting veterans the Bears can move and address the C position. Schwenke has had a magnificent offseason. At the Senior Bowl he was dominant and really flashed in the pass 1 on 1s. At the combine he showed great athletic ability, and hair, and while he may not be valued higher than the 3rd round I think he can come in and start week 1 or at a minimum compete with Garza who has really fallen off the last year.



4. LB Jon Bostic [Florida] 6'1" 242lbs.

An intense and fiery leader that can come in and learn from Brian Urlacher for a year and develop into the long term starter at MLB. Bostic has a nice blend of athletic ability and brains and he has had a great career in the SEC.



4. TE Nick Kasa [Colorado] 6'6" 260lbs.

With Marshall, Jeffery, Austin and Bennett the Bears do not need an elite TE they need someone with balance that can catch the 5-7 passes thrown to them a game and provide something as a blocker. Kasa has elite physical tools and with oly 2 years at the position he has a ton of room to grow and develop. As a former DE he has the mentaility and physical build to be a great blocker.



5. DE Malliciah Goodman [Clemson] 6'3" 270lbs.

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. CB Sheldon Price [UCLA] 6'2" 200lbs.

More youth for the defense as Price brings the physical skills that we need at CB and he will get time to develop while contributing to special teams.



Depth Chart

QB: Cutler, Clemens
RB: Forte, Bush, Allen
WR: Marshall, Jeffery, Austin, Bennett, Weems, Anderson
TE: Rodriguez, Kasa, Spaeth
LT: Webb
LG: Slauson, Brown [PR]
C: Schwenke, Garza
RG: Louis, Carimi
RT: Cherilus, Scott

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