The state of the franchise is a tough read. So much many contracts were moved off of the books this past year that it's a surprise we actually have a full roster.
I've worked with budgets comparable in size and I would love to be in the room as Poles talks about the free agent market. He has so many strategic choices to make, and it is hard to imagine what it would look like if we had even one other offensive player as talented as Fields.
I think the smart play is you go after maybe 1 - 2 top end, first run free agents, especially if Da'ron Payne comes available. Don't overpay older guys but seriously, go after 1-2 guys who are young and actually worth the money. Pick any position on the team, and its an upgrade.
For the rest of it, I would just focus entirely on 2nd and 3rd wave free agents. Get just average NFL starting grade players.
Even just doing that - hell, even if you forgot the first wave and ONLY focused on average nfl starters in 2nd and 3rd wave of free agency, the team would be SIGNIFICANTLY upgraded compared to the dumpster dive we got going on right now.
To me, that would be the smart play - focus on average starters in 2nd and 3rd wave of free agency, and work on getting your blue chip players in the draft. That to me would fit in with Poles' vision of sustained success, as now the Bears wouldn't be locked into long term, big money contracts and can then afford to replace those average NFL starters with their own draft picks as they go.
Plus, if Fields is elevating this pile of crap, give him an average NFL team and he's going to the playoffs and winning at least one game in the playoffs in this Parity league.