Step #1: Cuts
This is the first and easiest step of the process. The Bears will have to cut loose any veterans who aren't worth their current deals anymore for whatever cap space they can offer. In this instance, it will be tight end Dion Sims and outside linebacker Sam Acho. Their exits would net the team a collective $8.125 million in space. It's not enough to do the job but it's at least a good start for where they need to get.Space remaining - $14.43 million
[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/LeVeon-Bell-Plows-Through-Snow-for-3-TDs-Career-High-298-Total-Yards-NFL-Player-Highlights000000.000-000523.672_1.mp4"][/video]Step #2: Sign Le'Veon Bell
This is the difficult part because nobody knows for sure how much Bell will be demanding when the market opens. Naturally, he'll want to be the highest-paid running back in football. Right now that honor belongs to Todd Gurley at $14.375 million per year. Odds are Bell will want to reach the next tier at $15 million. However, there is a way they might be able to keep the cap hit lower. That's by guaranteeing more of the deal. Typically a top running back has around 38-45% of their contract guaranteed. David Johnson though had a whopping 63.3% guaranteed. This enabled them to keep his cap hits much lower than normal through the first two years. The Bears could do something similar with Bell In this case, he accepts the same four-year deal as Gurley at $57.5 million. However, unlike the 38.2% that Gurley was guaranteed, Bell will have 50%. Thus his contract looks as follows- 2019 - $7 million (fully guaranteed)
- 2020 - $12 million (fully guaranteed)
- 2021 - $17 million ($9.75 million guaranteed)
- 2022 - $21.5 million (he will be 30-years old and likely cut by this point)
Space remaining - $7.929 million
Step #3: Restructure Khalil Mack and Allen Robinson deals
The two biggest cap hits on the Bears payroll going into 2019 belong to star pass rusher Khalil Mack ($22.3 million) and wide receiver Allen Robinson ($15 million). The goal for Pace here is to convert money in those contract into bonuses that would lower their cap hits. In this case, Mack restructures $6 million with a $3 million roster bonus while Robinson restructures $5 million with a $2 million roster bonus. This drops their cap hits to $15.1 million and $11.5 million respectively. This is the biggest step is clearing the space required to fit Bell's contract while still being able to operate with other in-house free agents and the draft class.Space remaining - $18.62 million
Step #4: Trade Jordan Howard
With Bell on the roster, it makes the next step a logical one. The Bears will no longer have a need to keep Jordan Howard on the roster. They will begin the process of trading him elsewhere. The main issue is other teams will know this and likely not offer up much to get him, what with his contract in its final year. Odds are the Bears wouldn't get more than a 5th round pick for him. Though his exit would net an additional $2 million in cap space.Space remaining - $20.134 million







