Post by jj30 on Feb 28, 2017 0:12:32 GMT -6
fansided.com/2017/02/27/chicago-bears-free-agent-rumors-offseason-needs-2017/?utm_campaign=FanSided+Daily&utm_source=FanSided+Daily&utm_medium=emailby
by Parker Hurley
The Chicago Bears suffered a lot of injuries that threw their 2016 off pace. Who can they trust to come back, and where do they need to add to take a step forward?
Essentially every position on the Bears roster comes with a plethora of question marks after last season. Injury, suspension and now free agency leave them with a lot to wonder about, but on paper, the Bears are a team with the ability to take a step forward in 2017. That of course, is if the make the right moves in the offseason. So what are those moves, and who should the Bears attack in free agency?
5. Logan Ryan
Kyle Fuller missed the entire 2016 season. Whether he is healthy or not, the Bears need big time cornerback help. His injury exposed the back end of the cornerback depth. Patrick Robinson got destroyed in coverage, and subs such as Crevon Le’Blanc and Bryce Callahan showed that they cannot be trusted as potential starting threats.
Ryan is a great addition because while he can play outside, but his best bet may be as a nickel cornerback. The NFL is moving more towards a three-wide receiver vs. nickel type of base schemes. Without a strong cornerback who can come in and play the slot, teams are going to get carved apart on the inside.
Ryan has the experience of making a deep playoff run with the Patriots. However, the Pats are a team that is not known for overpaying anyone, even their own. The Bears have a lot of cap space, and Ryan could see a lot more money from the Bears than he would if he wanted to stay in New England. Ryan has experience, versatility and fits a position of dire need for the Bears. He should be one of the first players the Bears look at to revamp the back end of their defense
4. Tony Jefferson
The Bears may add a cornerback, but that cannot be all that they do to help with their back end. The team looked to Harold Jones-Quartey to be their starting safety, and while he had a few ups, most of his season was proving that he is not a starting safety on a playoff team. Despite drafting two safeties last year, those are mostly depth names, and this team is one big impact starter away from having a complete group of safeties.
When it comes to a realistic and reasonable bet at safety, Jefferson is the best bet. Eric Berry is going to be the safety that every team wants and may overpay. It could leave a decent market for Jefferson and with a lot of cap space, the Bears can easily afford the young safety is about to enter his prime.
What is great about Jefferson is his versatility. Jefferson can play in the box and make tackles against the run. He also can play deep and can make plays on the ball in coverage. The Bears tend to use a two-deep scheme at safety and use the versatility of Adrian Amos to make plays in both areas as well. To add in Jefferson would be a perfect fit for a Vic Fangio scheme. Jefferson should be the first safety that the Bears target.
3. Kelvin Beachum
Beachum was recently let go by the Jaguars after signing a deal with a club option. He signed that type of deal because he was coming off of one full season as a starting tackle, and tore his ACL early in his second season as a starter. Beachum dealt with injury but started 15 games last season.
He was not a problem last season for the Jaguars, and the release seemed a little surprising. Still, one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure, and the Bears would certainly treasure the addition of Beachum.
The Bears have two big issues at tackle. However, their left side is a complete no man’s land right now. Charles Leno is holding down the position, but he is not the answer at all and will be a free agent next season. Beachum could come in immediately and could compete with Leno to potentially drag out the best of him. However, there is the anticipation that Beachum would easily win that camp battle, and would be a big upgrade in play from the season before. His questions and the surprise cut will reduce the market for Beachum a bit. It may be just enough to make him a bargain for the Bears, and if they can get him on a reasonable deal, he would be a perfect fit.
Dec 24, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) throws a pass before the game against the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
2. Tyrod Taylor
The Bears biggest question this offseason is the most important one to answer. Who the heck is going to be the quarterback? There are plenty of options for Chicago. They can draft one, trade for one, or sign one. DeShone Kizer, Mitch Trubisky, Tony Romo, Jimmy Garoppolo, even Colin Kaepernick has had his name brought up as a potential starter for the Bears in 2017. However, if the Bears were smart, their best move would be to add Tyrod Taylor.
Taylor is going to come with more experience than any rookie, and cheaper than most veteran options. While Garoppolo will take real equity to acquire, and Romo will likely see a big payday, Taylor slots right in between the two in terms of talent and how affordable he will be.
Taylor managed to be an accurate passer with a stronger arm and dual threat abilities. He has been a starter for two seasons but has been in an ugly situation. He has seen two offensive coordinators and has hardly had any wide receiver threat to throw to. This will likely limit his market and will cause desperate teams to shoot for Garoppolo instead. However, if the Bears believe in Taylor they can sign him to a more than a reasonable deal, and continue to have the money and draft equity to build a stable roster around him. He will not be a top tier quarterback, but in the right situation, Taylor can be a winning quarterback in the NFL.
1. A.J. Bouye
On paper, the Bears defensive front can be solid in 2017. Akiem Hicks is coming off of a strong season, and while Eddie Goldman has been hurt, he has major upside. Jonathan Bullard looked good as a rookie, and Mitch Unrein is a depth addition.
At linebacker, Leonard Floyd showed promise as a rookie. Pernell McPhee came back from injury and proved why he was recently given a long term deal. Both Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman had issues last season, but if those four can come back and stay together, it is a young and talented core of linebackers that can be a threat.
With that in mind, this team needs to clean up the back end of their secondary in the worst way. Bouye is coming off of his real breakout season. It can be questionable about a cornerback breaking out in a contract year, but Bouye has good speed and instincts to take a shot on. He is likely the top cornerback on the market. He can play outside and inside, zone or man. If any team is going to spend even more than they have to secure Bouye, it should be the Bears.