Checking in with the Free Agents to be

[WindyCity]

QB Jay Cutler [Savings: 4 Million]

Jay is playing well. He is still Jay and still makes the mistake at the worst time, but this is the most improvement we have seen in years. With no options in the draft that seem ready to step in right away I cannot see how Cutler is not starting in 2016. The best thing he can do for the Bears is allow them to compete and improve without having to rush their young QB on the field. In a perfect world he allows the Bears to develop the next QB for a year or two and he puts some life back in his trade value.

OT Jermon Bushrod [4.3 million​]

His health issues have gotten worse as we now have added concussion and shoulder injuries to the lower leg issues. He has missed a game and looks like he will miss a 2nd game. Adding to the intrigue is that Charles Leno played well in his place. Not that I think Leno is going to be a star at LT, he could provide an option if the Bears look to move on from Bushrod and add someone in the draft or free agency.

He was not dominant to start and now he is getting increasingly unreliable. With interesting names like Russell Okung, Mitchell Schwartz, Andre Smith, Cordy Glenn, Bobbie Massie and Donald Stephenson the Bears could get young, better, and healthier with some of their cap room.

OLB Lamaar Houston [4 million]

Hosuton has started to play a little bit more, but has yet to really have an impact or show much at OLB. Houston still has time to work his way into the rotation, but for a team that is desperate for consistent pass rush across from Pernell McPhee just being a good run defender is not going to be enough. What helps Houston is that the free agent class at OLB is not very good so the Bears may be upgrading with a rookie and may want to keep the veteran around.

S Antrel Rolle [3 million]

It will be interesting to see how long Rolle is out with this ankle, but with the razor thin depth at S the Bears would have to add a ton in free agency in the draft to the position to make the 3 million saved on Rolle worth while. The Bears hopefully will be keeping him as a veteran leader behind Amos and an upgrade at the position. Rolle's value may be in him playing sub packages and helping the young guys learn how to be pros.

K Robbie Gould [3.9 million]

Gould has been really good this season after a down year in 2014. With how much pathetic kicking you see in the NFL I have changed my tune and think that you keep Gould.


The following players are free agents and significant contributors. There performance will go a long way to determining whether they are re-sign at the end of the season.

RB Matt Forte

He is awesome and with the Bears showing more life and some actual improvement I would not trade Forte unless I got a 3rd or better and I would offer him a deal for 3 years at 6 million a year. He is so important to the offense and if Cutler is back, he gives them another piece to compete with, and if there is a young QB he provides an excellent weapon to ease his transition. I doubt Forte takes a home town discount on his last serious contract so my guess is he is gone.

WR Alshon Jeffery

Health continues to be a concern. I cannot make up my mind whether he is actually hurt, the team is being cautious because they know they are going to re-sign him long term, or he is being super cautious because of his free agent year. Every game he misses makes this decision and the ultimate number even more interesting. I really do not know what direction this goes. Getting a look at Kevin White would help in setting a plan for Jeffery.

CB Alan Ball

His play improved in Seattle where he showed that he could use his size and length, but I would expect that the Bears will try and upgrade over Ball in free agency or the draft. With that idea in mind I think if the Bears can get him on a 1 year deal they may do that again, but I doubt he is a priority to bring back.

CB Sherrick McManis

The defensive experiment is not going well as he has been targeted a lot recently with success, but he still has significant special teams value. Perhaps moving Porter into the top 3 CBs will allow McManis to help more on special teams. I think McManis gets re-signed at a top special teamer and back up level, but he has not taken the step after 4 weeks that I had hoped for with increased playing time.

NT Jeremiah Ratliff

At this point with his health he would only be re-signed for depth and leadership. With the emergence of young players it may be worth it to keep Ratliff as a veteran in the room and a guy who can play 20 snaps a game in rotation. Ratliff re-signed on the cheap last time around, if he is willing to again I think he is worth keeping.
​
DE Jarvis Jenkins

26, versatile, productive. Pay that man his money.

LB Shea McClellin

​​Whether you like McClellin, or hate him, whether you think he is improving or that she sucks, I cannot see anyway that the Bears do not keep him. He is the only player to play every snap on defense, he makes the defensive calls, and he has progressed every game. My gut tells me he is re-signed and is either competing with Jones, or starting next to an upgrade at the other spot. The question is what do you pay him?

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

it would help to see what other teams FA will be available to see who we would like to see let go

but from that list Jenkins to me would be nice to keep. The rest depending on replacement options are meh. Probably keep Cutler also even if draft a qb

 

[WindyCity]

OT is a stacked group

Russell Okung
Cordy Glenn
Donald Stephenson
Kelvin Beachum

Andre Smith
Mitchell Schwartz
Bobbie Massie

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

You let McClovin set his own price by hitting free agency. No way you over pay for him.

 

[Broc]

Shame we can't trade anyone to the Seahawks for Kam Chancellor.

 

[PAPABEAR77]

I say keep

Jay Cutler cause there isn't a better option however bring a decent back up
Antrel Rolle just because he is the best thing we got back their
Alshon Jeffery no brainer
Jarvis Jenkins has shown he belongs here
Robbie Gould he wont break the bank let him retire a bear
Shea McClellin totally agree with your assessment

 

[theOHIOSTATE!]

Shea looks like a bad starter/good backup.

You pay him whatever a guy like that makes over his prime with no premium unless he really improves in the interim. He make very little impact on the game and his best feature is lining up correctly/knowing the defense and being assignment discipline best I can tell. I'd love to see Jones take another step and be an impact/super solid guy and for us to add a better than average guy at some point to the mix and for Shea to be the 3rd ILB. That might not be in the next yr though.a

I think Rolle, Jenkins and Gould stay unless Rolle's health issues really linger and impair play/ability to play. Jenkins and Gould probably get paid nicely.

Jeffrey you need to sign.

Cutler, if he plays like he has so far, is staying....not overly excited by this, but I thought he's be our starter in 2016 (opening day) the whole time.

Forte is definitely gone, and will get paid decently to finish out his career if his play continues at the current level.

McMannis isn't a starter or NB imho, and might be gone or might stay depending on his demands.

I think Houston might be gone, but who knows at this point. Bushrod's situation is totally in the air bc of his health and Leno/Long's progression.

 

[Kazu2324]

Thoughts on Acho?

 

[iueyedoc]

Shea looks like a bad starter/good backup.

You pay him whatever a guy like that makes over his prime with no premium unless he really improves in the interim. He make very little impact on the game and his best feature is lining up correctly/knowing the defense and being assignment discipline best I can tell. I'd love to see Jones take another step and be an impact/super solid guy and for us to add a better than average guy at some point to the mix and for Shea to be the 3rd ILB. That might not be in the next yr though.

This is an classic example of the inability to get past the desire to want SM to fail. You call Shea's play at his new position unimpactfull yet want to see C Jones, whose play has been significantly worse to get better and play next to someone else and have Shea as a back up. Why?

Both are new to ILB, Shea has well outplayed Jones to this point. Why wouldn't you want Shea to take another step, especially since he comes with the bonus of being able to run the defense? Who gives a **** which guy continues to ascend, hell, why not both.

Oh that's right, more fun to call a guy that was asked to add 30lbs of fat because he was drafted to play the wrong position a bust.

 

[Ralpf]

The following players are free agents and significant contributors. There performance will go a long way to determining whether they are re-sign at the end of the season.

RB Matt Forte

He is awesome and with the Bears showing more life and some actual improvement I would not trade Forte unless I got a 3rd or better and I would offer him a deal for 3 years at 6 million a year. He is so important to the offense and if Cutler is back, he gives them another piece to compete with, and if there is a young QB he provides an excellent weapon to ease his transition. I doubt Forte takes a home town discount on his last serious contract so my guess is he is gone.

If I am a rookie QB coming into the NFL, I want Matt Forte on my team. And I think any coaching staff would want that, too.

I think with the cap situation (Almost 60M in space as it stands now) you don't really need to worry about what you are paying for a guy like Forte, as long as you give yourself an out down the line.

 

[Desperado34]

Thoughts on Acho?

Like him a lot. Hustles. Plays hard. Seems like a great guy. Likely great locker room presence. Average talent but he's got heart and passion. I enjoy watching him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[I Just Want To Read]

What the **** are people talking about when they say Cutler's improvement is the most we've seen in years.

He's played 3 games and has 4 TDs, 3 INTs, and a lower completion percentage than the last 2 years.

He's the exact same QB he's been and will always be.

 

[PeterMbangala]

What the **** are people talking about when they say Cutler's improvement is the most we've seen in years.

He's played 3 games and has 4 TDs, 3 INTs, and a lower completion percentage than the last 2 years.

He's the exact same QB he's been and will always be.

What they mean is that he's done a better job at managing the offense and keeping the defence off the field. He still turns the ball over at the worst possible time though.

 

[iueyedoc]

What the **** are people talking about when they say Cutler's improvement is the most we've seen in years.

He's played 3 games and has 4 TDs, 3 INTs, and a lower completion percentage than the last 2 years.

He's the exact same QB he's been and will always be.

Not sure about people, just the OP. And yeah a little premature, Jay has just been Jay, a guy that makes head scratchers but sometimes finds a way to make up for it. I do believe this offense gives him as good a chance for success as I have seen him in. Run/Pass predictability so far has been pretty low(sans the Clausen Era). Even on Ambien and a six pack, I could tell you 75% of the playcalls in the Lovie days.

 

[Josh2J]

OT is a stacked group

Russell Okung
Cordy Glenn
Donald Stephenson
Kelvin Beachum

Andre Smith
Mitchell Schwartz
Bobbie Massie

love this list but the reality is maybe 2 tops will actually hit the market...every off season seams like there are gona be some stud OL hit the market and then (if they are actually any good or young ) they more often than not get resigned before free agency begins

 

[theOHIOSTATE!]

This is an classic example of the inability to get past the desire to want SM to fail. You call Shea's play at his new position unimpactfull yet want to see C Jones, whose play has been significantly worse to get better and play next to someone else and have Shea as a back up. Why?

Both are new to ILB, Shea has well outplayed Jones to this point. Why wouldn't you want Shea to take another step, especially since he comes with the bonus of being able to run the defense? Who gives a **** which guy continues to ascend, hell, why not both.

Oh that's right, more fun to call a guy that was asked to add 30lbs of fat because he was drafted to play the wrong position a bust.

Bc CJ is younger, been in the NFL a shorter time and has a higher athletic ceiling than Shea, plus some of his shortcomings are mental which are more easily fixed over time than just being not good enough physically to do X in the ball game.

SM has some very obvious physical shortcomings as an NFL player, and if you are in denial about that fact it's on you not me sir. I would love both players to emerge as All Pro beasts, unfortunately, I don't think it is in the cards for either, so i'll make comments as to where both project. I think Shea's about where he'll be; maybe he'll grow into an average started if his instincts improve. I think with CJ it's a lot more foggy and his ceiling is a good bit higher, but he could also settle in as mediocre mentally/instincts wise. I actually agree that at this point SM has outplayed CJ, but I don't think the gap is that big at all.

 

[Tjodalv]

Jenkins is 27. Not a big deal, but this is the umpteenth time I've seen you make that mistake so figured I'd let you know.

 

[I Just Want To Read]

We should let people go and get on that Comp Pick gravy train that all the good franchises take advantage of.

Bring back Jeffery though.

 

[iueyedoc]

Bc CJ is younger, been in the NFL a shorter time and has a higher athletic ceiling than Shea, plus some of his shortcomings are mental which are more easily fixed over time than just being not good enough physically to do X in the ball game.

At the combine SM ran significantly faster(4.63 vs 4.74) and jumped further at the same height and 20 lbs heavier. What physically is Jones better at, or is that just an assumption based on other factors?

Oh and younger,LOL, yes he is a whole 18 months younger.

 

[Matt Suhey]

Jay and Gase are looking like a very good combo. Clearly Jay is our best option for 2016. Gase and Martz have both gotten the best out of Jay as his Bear OC’S. In 2011 Jay led to Bears to a win against San Diego which capped a 5 game win streak same day Jay got hurt. At the point the Bears had a 7-3 record and playing lights out. This was after Martz balanced play calling with more runs. This was also done with Webb and Carimi at OT, medicore wideouts and a crappy TE. Stats for the 5 game streak include:
-The Bears outscored their opponents, 161-85.
- Cutler threw just three picks, while the club's turnover differential was a stout plus-eight.
- Chicago averaged nearly 32 minutes in time of possession.
- Cutler was sacked just once per game.

I want to see what Gase can do with Jay next season with a stacked group of skill positions players, better tackles and a full year under Gase’s offense. Lastly give Jay another a second stud OT to protect him and lets find out if it makes a big difference in his INT’s. Hopefully Gase doesnt get a chance to be the Dolphins HC in 2016.

Bushrod next year let him compete for a guard spot in camp and if he sucks at it cut him. Just make sure he has some real competition.

Lamar Houston just does not seem to fit. His cap hit for 2016 is only 2.97MM compared to 6.99MM if he plays. Our run defense is good without him. He is not a big pass rush guy so other players give similar skills at a cheaper price. He is trade bait and backup for now.

Rolle keep him but also give him some competition from draft or FA.

Robbie and Forte stay end of discussion. 2016 will not be a rebuild year.
Jarvis and Raitliff are also keepers.

Jeffrey might be best to franchise him. Bears need to give him one more season to see if he can stay on the field long enough to be worth a big contract. If he is not working his butt off in the off season than we have a problem.

Alan Ball is probably worth keeping in an area without depth but we have 12 more games to see what he has got and an off season to see whats on the market.

Shea should probably be resigned but I would try to pair him or up with a more experienced ILB to get the most out of him and the defense. Basically pick either Shea or Christian in offseason and add a veteran to play alongside with and maybe be mentor-ed by as well.