Chicago Bears 2021 Mock Offseason: A New Sherriff In Town

This latest Chicago Bears 2021 mock offseason tries to follow the fluid rumors that continue to surround the team. Namely in regards to what will happen with their current power structure. At 6-7, it really feels like it could go either way. Securing a few more victories might save jobs. Losing most or all of them will result in firings. Everything seems balanced on an edge. George McCaskey is a self-proclaimed fan. So it's important to remember he will probably react like a fan. Their moods can change fast. Sifting through all the buzz does reveal a likely picture starting to form though. One that some people will like and others feel aren't enough. Such is the state of things. Here is a breakdown of how it can all happen.

This Chicago Bears 2021 mock offseason features new direction

Front office and Coaching changes:

Rick Smith replaces Ted Phillips as team president The former Houston Texans GM is one of the most respected in the NFL. Not only did he win two Super Bowls as an assistant coach in Denver. He ran his own team for over a decade and built a roster that made the playoffs six times. His final major act in Houston was landing them a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson. Smith also drafted their first probable Hall of Famer in J.J. Watt. He's only 50-years old too. If there is anybody out there the Bears could want running their entire football operations? It would be him. He understands how to build a winning culture and find the necessary players on both sides of the ball. People know him to be an upstanding man of deep Christian faith who conducts himself with pure class. There isn't anybody better the McCaskeys could want at the head of their organization. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJy8O16rgek&t=2s&ab_channel=NFL

Jimmy Raye III replaces Ryan Pace as GM

Smith knows Raye from their time together in 2017. That year Raye was assistant GM in Houston. They'd crossed paths many times before that both as personnel executives and scouts. Raye got into scouting back in 1996 after a brief stint as a player for the Chargers. By 2000 he'd already risen to Director of College Scouting. San Diego would go on to enjoy some highly productive drafts including names like:

• LaDainian Tomlinson
• Drew Brees
• Philip Rivers
• Shaun Phillips
• Michael Turner
• Shawn Merriman
• Vincent Jackson
• Darren Sproles
• Antonio Cromartie
• Eric Weddle
• Melvin Ingram

He seemed destined for a GM gig but a rough stint in Indianapolis from 2013 to 2016 under Ryan Grigson slowed his momentum. It didn't take him long to rebound. After helping the Texans secure Watson in 2017, he became a senior executive in Detroit. There he aided in landing some solid players like Frank Ragnow and T.J. Hockenson. Raye is a quality asset with a wealth of experience who can be a great partner to Smith. Matt Nagy retained as head coach This will be a controversial move a lot of people won't like. The Bears have tried this strategy before. Retain the coach while overhauling the front office. It's never worked out in the long run. That said, there are reasons to believe the team will do this. For one, Nagy has two years left on his contract. Paying him to go away isn't something that would appeal to the McCaskeys given the pandemic hit to their finances. Beyond that, it's important to note some realities. Nagy gave up play-calling and the offense has improved. At the same time, it is clear the team continues to play hard. A good sign that he hasn't lost the locker room. Remember he's still quite young as a coach. Maybe he is starting to figure some things out. Giving him one more year could prove profitable.

Cuts:

• Jimmy Graham - $7 million
• Bobby Massie (post-June 1st) - $8 million
• Buster Skrine (post-June 1st) - $5 million

Word is the salary cap hit next year might not be as bad as originally projected. However, until that becomes reality, the Bears have to prepare as if the worst comes true. This means they must do everything they can to gain breathing space. Graham, Massie, and Skrine all fit the same profile. Maybe still good enough to moderately produce but overpaid at this point in their careers going into their early or mid-30s. Salary cap: $22.5 million

Trades:

Kyle Fuller and a 5th round pick to Seahawks for a 2nd round pick In order to create said necessary breathing space, the Bears need to make a sacrifice. With the defense garnering most of the money, it will have to come on that side of the ball. Fuller has been a tremendous player for their secondary the past few years. Yet with the emergence of Jaylon Johnson, the timing may never be better for them to trade him. Seattle has the worst pass defense in the NFL and a scheme that fits him perfectly. This is a deal that can benefit both sides. Salary cap: $33.5 million

Re-signings/Extensions:

Allen Robinson - Non-exclusive franchise tag at 1-year for $16 million An extension doesn't look possible between Robinson and the Bears. At least for the time being. That said, the team has to know how vital he is to the little offensive success they've been able to muster over the past two years. They have the franchise tag and should use it to make sure he doesn't go anywhere. Keeping it non-exclusive means he can negotiate with other teams but given it would cost two 1st round picks to get him? He'll likely be playing in Chicago another year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFQqCpLp_n4&t&ab_channel=NFL Eddie Jackson - Restructured contract for $5.97 million in added cap space Odds are at least one of the major contracts the Bears have on defense will be restructured to secure more cap space. With Jackson being 26-years old and in his prime, the team should feel safe about doing this with his deal. He isn't going anywhere anytime soon. This will help alleviate some of the hit from Robinson's tag. Akiem Hicks - 2-year extension at $20 million (2021 cap lowered to $6 million) Trading Hicks may end up being discussed but the reality is at his age he won't fetch any draft choices of high quality. The man is worth more to Bears on the roster than off. He's still a dominant force when healthy and the heart and soul of that defense. This two-year extension gives him some security and also helps the team lower his 2021 cap hit.

Cairo Santos - 3-year deal for $12.9 million

This guy was nothing more than an emergency option when he was signed. Then he started kicking and hasn't missed much since. Suddenly Santos went from temporary holdover to likely future kicker of the Bears. He's made 18-straight kicks now. There isn't much else the team needs to see. He's locked in.

• Mario Edwards Jr. - 1-year deal for $2 million
• Danielle McCullers - 1-year deal for $990,000
• Brent Urban - 1-year deal for $1.075 million
• Barkevious Mingo - 1-year deal for $1.075 million
• DeAndre Houston-Carson - 1-year deal for $990,000
• Patrick Scales - 1-year deal for $990,000
• Alex Bars - 1-year deal for $850,000 (ERFA tender)
• Josh Woods - 1-year deal for $850,000 (ERFA tender)
• James Vaughters - 1-year deal for $780,000 (ERFA tender)
• J.P. Holtz - 1-year deal for $850,000 (ERFA tender)

Edwards Jr. has been excellent for the Bears this season but his recent trouble down in Charlotte involving assault charges makes this extension idea a bit iffy. Something to watch. The rest of these moves are cheap ways to keep a lot of the team depth intact. Particularly Bars who has really performed above expectations when he finally got starter snaps on the offensive line. Salary cap: $19.02 million

Free agency:

Williams Jackson III - 3-year deal for $30 million ($7 million cap hit in 2021) The start of his career was rough due to injuries. However, Jackson has begun to show a lot of the ability that made him a 1st round pick back in 2016. Despite playing on a bad defense, his coverage skills continue to shine through. While $10 million per year is pricey, it's considerably less than what they were paying Fuller. He should be a nice pairing with Johnson moving forward. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkEhem5jUMg&ab_channel=CincinnatiBengals Jacob Hollister - 1-year deal for $990,000 With Graham out, the Bears will have to find somebody to fill that "U" tight end role on offense next to Kmet. Prior to an unfortunate injury, Hollister was really establishing himself as a weapon in Seattle. Now his role has been reduced. He has enough traits that make him worth a look as a versatile weapon in the passing game. Ryan Anderson - 1-year deal for $1 million The linebacker was a solid pass rusher at Alabama and seemed to be finding some success last year in Washington. However, the arrival of a new scheme and #2 overall pick Chase Young has put himself mostly on the sideline. He'll likely seek out a team that plays more 3-4 outside linebacker. Chicago needs more depth at the position. Anderson is worth a look. Salary cap: $10.03 million

The Draft:

Trade - #15 pick to Jets for #25 pick, 3rd rounder and 5th rounder 1st round (via NYJ) - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech It's been too long since the Bears made a significant investment in their offensive line. Especially the tackle position. With Massie out of the picture, they need to fill that void on the right side. Darrisaw is exactly the sort of player Chicago would love. He's got the size and athleticism for the position. What stands out even further is his power in the run game along with a notable nasty streak. The guy isn't prone to making a lot of mistakes. Best part? He can shift over to left tackle in the near future once Charles Leno is gone.

Trade - #46 pick and 3rd rounder to Bengals for #35 pick 2nd round (via CIN) - Kyle Trask, QB, Florida The Bears almost have to come out of this draft with a quarterback. Mitch Trubisky is a free agent in 2021 and likely gone. So they decide to make a minor jump up to the top of the 2nd round for Trask. Some people will argue the Florida standout will never go that low. The truth is it's the draft and things happen. In terms of talent Trask is a Day 2 guy because of his average athleticism and okay arm. His game is about good field vision, strong decision-making, and accurate throws. He is a high floor prospect. Maybe won't ever be elite but someone who can be a quality starter for a long time. 2nd round (via SEA) - Christian Barmore, DE, Alabama The time is approaching where the Bears have to reload on the defensive line. Hicks isn't getting any younger. Barmore is exactly the type of player they've targeted in recent years. Big, long, powerful and deceptively athletic. He's been stout against the run for Alabama all season and has shown improvement as a pass rusher as well with good quickness. He is somebody Jay Rodgers should be able to develop into something much more.

3rd round (via NYJ) - Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College

Teams might be wary of him due to relative inexperience but Johnson displays a ton of likable traits. He's not overly big but he certainly plays that way. He gets after it in the running game with power and attitude. In pass protection, he shows solid hands and a strong anchor. There are technique issues to clean up but he has lots of promise.

5th round (via NYJ) - Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina Mack Brown has built quite an offense down there loaded with playmakers. Dyami is one of them. He can be classified as a vertical threat with a strong ability to track the ball. He's also a dog, throwing his weight around as a blocker in the running game. Loves to play physical. His issue is learning to run better routes and cleaning up some drop issues. 6th round - Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame It is never a crime to stockpile quarterbacks. Especially when you don't have one like the Bears (with all due respect to Nick Foles). Until they find their franchise guy, they should take as many shots as they can. Ian Book isn't a top tier talent in terms of size or arm strength. That being said, he's a very good athlete with playmaking instincts and a knack for winning a lot of football games. 7th round (via MIA) - Greg Eisworth II, S, Iowa State Described as a standout leader and alpha personality. Eisworth plays with instincts and intelligence, not to mention plenty of toughness. He loves to set the tone in games. Athletically? He's more of a classic strong safety which could make him a proper pairing with Eddie Jackson. If nothing else, he should be an instant presence on special teams. A nice little end to this Bears 2021 mock offseason.