Brad Biggs mailbag. Dynamite read this week!
Dec 28, 2016 12:32:34 GMT -6
weneedmorelinemen likes this
Post by JABF on Dec 28, 2016 12:32:34 GMT -6
Biggs handles a number of questions from readers that we have been discussing this week here on the messageboard. His answers are really interesting. One common theme is that this roster lacks talent to be competitive. I took it to mean regardless of the injury situation, we ALSO lack talent to begin with.
He made it sound pretty grim for next year no matter WHAT the team does. In fact, in one question he answered that a best case scenario for next year (ceiling) would be a .500 year. That's if everything goes perfect. Which it won't.
It just sounds like the franchise is screwed for the near future at least :-(
He made it sound pretty grim for next year no matter WHAT the team does. In fact, in one question he answered that a best case scenario for next year (ceiling) would be a .500 year. That's if everything goes perfect. Which it won't.
It just sounds like the franchise is screwed for the near future at least :-(
LINK
Bears Q&A: Who to draft in 2017, never-ending QB debate and more
Brad BiggsContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune
The Tribune's Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly.
Regarding your comparison in last week’s mailbag of Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley, which favored Hoyer, it didn't seem you took into account that Barkley played without the protection of two All-Pro guards as Hoyer did. As a result, Barkley's offensive potential was diminished. In addition, Hoyer had first-string caliber receivers and tight ends to throw to which Barkley did not until Alshon Jeffery came back. If those dropped passes Barkley threw were caught by first-stringers, I think Bear fans would be clamoring for Barkley to be the clear starter in 2017. Hoyer had his chance to be a starter at Cleveland and Houston and he was mediocre enough to lose his starting role at both. He is the epitome of a journeyman quarterback. Barkley has not had the chance to be the starter until this recent stint with the Bears and he has proven to have the poise, intelligence and the arm to be a starter. His fourth-quarter rallies also proved he’s a never-quit gamer and who wouldn't want a quarterback with that character trait to lead their team? – Mark H. Tustin, Calif.
I did mention that the quarterbacks have dealt with different lineups this season when I wrote, “Yes, there are different factors and different situations each quarterback faced. Barkley has played only one game with Alshon Jeffery.” Hoyer indeed played with Long and Sitton and Barkley has not played with Long at all. I’m not going to spend a lot of time wondering about the guard combination when it comes to quarterback play and don’t think that has made a huge impact on Barkley’s performance. Barkley certainly has shown some grit in his five starts but I think you’re looking at a player with a low ceiling and because you read the answer I provided, I am sure you saw the point was to compare the statistics the two had put up. That was prior to the Redskins game when Barkley threw five interceptions. If Barkley is the starting quarterback for the Bears to begin the 2017 season, I would imagine most fans will feel underwhelmed. There is a segment of readers that really believe in his potential. As I’ve written, maybe I am wrong when it comes to Barkley. But I find it difficult to believe the entire league basically whiffed on the guy before he landed with the Bears in September after being released by the Cardinals. Sometimes when it looks too good to be true, that’s just what it is. Barkley could put together an extended career as a quality No. 2 quarterback. I’d be surprised if he is a long-term successful starting quarterback. Will he be in the Bears’ plans for 2017? He certainly could be. But I have to think when general manager Ryan Pace is plotting the future, he’s aiming for bigger and better at the position.
Assuming a solid draft like the last one, with maybe a new quarterback and the opponents now set, how many games can the Bears realistically win next year? -- @kiddchicago
For starters, I don’t think we can just “assume” the Bears will have a solid draft next year. Certainly there will be high hope and this year’s draft class has been productive. The Bears will be well positioned with a high pick and that increases their chances for hitting. But the 2015 draft class has been underwhelming this season with wide receiver Kevin White missing 13 games and nose tackle Eddie Goldman missing more than half the year. The quarterback thing is a total wild card. Yes, the opponents are set for next season but the schedule is a hard thing to gauge. The Bears should have benefitted from playing the weak AFC South this season and they went 0-4 against the worst division in football. The NFC East looked like a good draw this season (based on 2015) and has been one of the best divisions in football. If the Bears get an impactful draft class, if they get a serious upgrade at quarterback and if they stay healthy, they could be in the mix for .500. I think that’s realistic. To hope for a huge leap seems unrealistic given the current state of the roster. But we’re so far off. Let’s see what shakes out in the offseason.
With Mike McCoy potentially being available, do you think John Fox would look to bring him in as offensive coordinator to pair with a rookie quarterback? -- @tommy_Dobbs
McCoy’s future looks very uncertain in San Diego with a 27-36 record heading into Sunday’s season finale against the Chiefs. If the Bears replace Dowell Loggains, and we’ve got no idea at this point what coach John Fox is going to do with his coaching staff at this point, prominent names will emerge for the job that have a history with him. That is why there was speculation Fox might look to hire Ken Whisenhunt last year after Adam Gase left because Fox nearly hired him in Denver. McCoy worked for Fox in Carolina and Denver. That being said, I don’t know that McCoy has a history of developing rookie quarterbacks. I wouldn’t count Tim Tebow. If Loggains is fired and if McCoy is available, sure his name will be front and center. Let’s keep in mind that one challenge Fox will have if he makes move with his coaching staff is that he’s going to have pressure to win and that can make it challenging for coaches to fill vacancies. That’s the problem Lovie Smith encountered multiple times when he replaces play callers on offense. Fox is more well connected around the league than Smith was however.
Who was a better center Hroniss Grasu or Cody Whitehair? Who starts next year? Could that spell a move of Kyle Long to offensive tackle? -- @iamsupremecourt
Whitehair has been significantly better at center than Grasu was last season. I’ve gotten this question a couple times in recent weeks with some wondering if Long could move back to right tackle in a reshuffling of the line to get Grasu in the starting lineup. How quickly some forget the poorly planned switch of Long to right tackle last season didn’t work real well. Long gave his best but he’s clearly a better player at guard and my guess is he would prefer to play guard. I don’t see Long moving to tackle in an effort to get Grasu on the field. Plus, right tackle Bobby Massie has been solid since the first month of the season, something folks tend to overlook. My guess is Grasu is projected as a reserve for 2017.
Is Jamaal Adams or Jabrill Peppers worth a No. 3 pick? -- @adamchrz15
Adams is a very intriguing prospect and if the LSU junior leaves school early, he could become the first safety drafted in the top 10 since Alabama’s Mark Barron was selected seventh overall in 2012 by the Buccaneers. That pick didn’t work out real well for Tampa Bay but Adams has generated buzz from NFL scouts. Whether Adams is worth the third pick in the draft remains to be seen. That might be a little rich. I don’t think Peppers is a top-10 pick at this point. That’s the vibe I have gotten from scouts this season. Peppers has been a tremendous player for Michigan and has been extremely versatile playing linebacker and safety. Some view him as a little bit of a tweener and he hasn’t consistently made plays on the ball as a safety. Believe it or not, some think Peppers is best with the ball in his hands and might be better as a running back. He’s not Charles Woodson, a versatile threat that played at Michigan before a Hall of Fame NFL career.
Are any of the quarterbacks worth a top-4 pick? -- @geoman52
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or in this case in the eye of the teams drafting in the top four. The Bears have a good chance to own the No. 3 or No. 4 pick in the draft and will do exhaustive work on the draft-eligible quarterbacks. This is the one position that is consistently overdrafted because of supply and demand. It’s hard to say how high Clemson’s Deshaun Watson or Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer will be selected at this point. Both are headed to the draft and most believe North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky will declare for the draft. He’s another strong possibility. Let’s keep one thing in mind: Nearly every team near the top of the draft has a desperate need for a quarterback. Teams in the mix for the top six are the Browns, 49ers, Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Titans (who own the Rams’ pick). If you’re not a believer in Blake Bortles at this point (and that’s a dwindling crowd), every team but the Titans will be in the market for a quarterback. That’s before a team outside of the top six considers a trade up for a quarterback. So the Bears are going to have plenty of competition when it comes to finding a quarterback to guide the franchise into the future.
Will Jordan Howard get more carries next season? With how well he has been I thought he would be getting more than 16 per game. -- @dovalems
Sure, I think you can project more carries for Howard next season but keep in mind there is a high injury rate with backs. Howard has proven to be plenty durable this season and is averaging 15.3 carries per game. Some have wondered about the Bears going away from the running attack in some games this season and Howard has had more than 18 carries only once in the last seven games when he carried 32 times in the 26-6 victory over the 49ers. To be fair, he is averaging 19.2 carries over the last six games. It’s not like the Bears have been feeding the ball a lot to Jeremy Langford or Ka’Deem Carey instead of getting the ball to Howard. The upside here is Howard won’t have a ton of wear and tear heading into his second season and coming off a disastrous season for the organization, there is some upside in that.
Eric Berry looks like a great fit and big free-agent prize this offseason. Can you see the Bears being aggressive with him? -- @carl9730
Berry projects to be one of the best free agents if he indeed makes it to the open market. He is playing under the franchise tag this season and it’s unlikely the Chiefs will tag him for a second consecutive season as the price tag would rise to a little more than $12.9 million. It’s possible Kansas City will look to extend Berry into the future but the sides were not able to hammer out a deal before this season. I don’t think the Chiefs are going to break the bank to sign Berry but you never know what will happen. Berry, who turns 28 on Wednesday, is having another fine season and if he reaches the open market there is a good chance he sets a new bar for safety pay. He would be an intriguing option for the Bears but let’s keep in mind that Berry is in his seventh season and at this point his best football is behind him. It’s fair to say the Chiefs have a better defense at this point too and that will make Berry better than plugging him in on the current Bears defense. The Bears, of course, have glaring holes at the safety position, and really need to seek upgrades there. In a perfect world, the Bears get the next Berry. They find an impact safety in the draft and get a player that will be ascending. However, the team has needs across the roster and if they don’t get that impactful safety early in the draft, perhaps pursuing Berry is the way to go. He’s a talented player with high mileage and the Bears are going to have to draft well to return to contention. They’re not going to be able to use the McCaskey’s check book to return to prominence. For what it’s worth, the Chiefs will have a much tighter salary cap to work with in 2017 than the Bears.
What are the financials involved in holding on to Jay Cutler for one more year vs. cutting ties? Does one more year make any sense? -- @kezzy143
Cutler is scheduled to earn $12.5 million in base pay next season with another $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses ($156,250 per game). The Bears would take a $2 million salary cap hit if they release Cutler or trade him. If the Bears keep Cutler in 2017, they could shed him after that season and take a cap hit of $1 million. The Bears will have a ton of cap room in 2017 so a $2 million hit for cutting ties with Cutler would not impact them. It’s not a money or cap decision. It’s a football decision that needs to be made with Cutler.
Do you think Charles Leno is a starting caliber left tackle or do the Bears need an upgrade at the position? -- @stephenclapp1
There isn’t any question Leno is a starting-caliber left tackle in the NFL. The question that is worth exploring at this point is how good Leno can become? He’s started the last 28 games and has been the team’s most durable lineman for the last two seasons. Leno hasn’t been as good this season as he would like to be but there have been a ton of moving parts on the offense as a whole. That’s not an excuse for him. Leno is only 25 years old and is scheduled to earn $690,000 in 2017, the final year of his rookie contract. I believe there is still upside to Leno and when you consider considerable needs elsewhere on both sides of the ball, I think the Bears head into 2017 with cautious optimism that Leno can take a step forward. It’s not going to be a very good draft for left tackles, at least it doesn’t look like it right now, and paying to get a legitimate upgrade at left tackle is going to cost a pretty penny when the team has a lot of pressing needs at positions where there are not options currently on the roster.
Could the Bears look at acquiring Tyrod Taylor in the offseason? -- @jake4lenza
Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor runs the ball against the Dolphins on Dec. 24, 2016. (Brett Carlsen / Getty Images)
If Taylor isn’t the solution for the Bills, who have been searching for a quarterback since Jim Kelly retired 20 years ago, why would he be the answer for the Bears? It is highly unlikely Taylor is in the Bills’ plans for 2017 as his contract would require a $27.5 million commitment from the team. I suppose it is possible the Bills look to rework Taylor’s deal but with a coaching change underway and possible upheaval in the front office, that seems unlikely.
Most likely to be starting quarterback next year – Brian Hoyer, Matt Barkley, Jay Cutler or someone else? -- @mikedodds1
There are a ton of possibilities when it comes to the quarterback situation and general manager Ryan Pace is going to need to prepare for a long list of scenarios. Hoyer and Barkley are both coming out of contract while Cutler is signed through 2020. The wild card here is do the Bears draft a quarterback or do they trade for one like the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo? If they trade for a guy like Garoppolo, and bear in mind the price tag will not be cheap, they’ve got a starter. If they draft a quarterback in say the first three rounds, it’s very likely that rookie will not be prepared to be the Day 1 starter next September. In that event, they need a starter and that is where someone like Hoyer or perhaps Barkley could come into play. The problem is the Bears would have a difficult time selling progress if Hoyer or Barkley is their starting quarterback next September. I don’t envision Cutler as the kind of player they want to be ahead of a draft pick either but until the Bears make a move with him, he’s still in play. There are simply way too many variables to make a definitive selection here. It’s a conundrum for Pace right now.
What should be Ryan Pace’s No. 1 priority heading into the offseason? -- @hawa_hussein
Quarterback.
Which of the current Bears receivers do you anticipate being on the roster in 2017? -- @vhavalad
Some people disagree with me but my hunch at this point is the Bears do not pursue Alshon Jeffery in free agency and he departs for another team. I think it’s fair to bet there is no way the organization places the franchise tag on him for a second go around because that would come at a price tag of $17.5 million for one season, far above the production level he’s at. Maybe I’m wrong on Jeffery and he certainly could be in future plans if the Bears deem him a player they cannot afford to move forward without him. Jeffery is the only real wild card in terms of a future with the team. I would expect the Bears release veteran Eddie Royal as he’s signed for $5 million in 2017 and the guaranteed money in his contract is up at the end of this season. He’s been solid when he’s healthy but that’s been a real issue. Kevin White will return for his third season after undergoing leg surgery in his first two seasons. Cameron Meredith will be back for one more season before he becomes a restricted free agent entering the 2018 season. He’s put together a really nice season as his playing time has expanded by injuries and the suspension that Jeffery served. Josh Bellamy will be an exclusive rights free agent once again and I think there is a better than decent chance he is back because of his ability on special teams. Rookie Daniel Braverman will be back next season. My guess would be that Deonte Thompson, who will be a free agent, moves on. He’s made some plays as a wide receiver in the last month but the Bears need a better kickoff return candidate. Marquess Wilson’s contract is up and considering his durability issues it would surprise me if the Bears sought to bring him back unless it’s a minimum-salary benefit deal. Dres Anderson is on the practice squad and he could be a candidate for a reserve/future contract. If the Bears don’t bring Jeffery back, this certainly becomes a position in need of a talent infusion.
Why would the Bears keep old John Fox instead of up-and-coming Adam Gase? -- @gkeasily
Well, the Bears interviewed both Fox and Pace for the head-coaching vacancy in 2015 after Marc Trestman and chose to hire Fox. They weren’t going to reverse course after only one season and fire Fox to promote Gase to the position. At the time of the hiring, they deemed Fox, a coach with plenty of head-coaching experience, a better option than Gase. Let’s not make the offensive performance by the Bears in 2015 to be something it wasn’t either. Quarterback Jay Cutler reduced his turnovers to a degree but the offense still wasn’t a threat. Maybe they would be in a different position right now had they initially hired Gase. It’s possible. But it’s unrealistic to think the franchise would fire Fox after only one season and then pay him to not coach for the next three years.
Does Tracy Porter actually cover anyone or is he just a spectator trying to chase a receiver (with the ball) down? -- @cubfancurt
It’s suddenly trendy to knock Porter and I don’t think that is fair when you consider the knee injury he has been battling through for nearly the entire season. Porter clearly isn’t moving like he does when he’s healthy and as I reported last month, he’s had to have one of his knees drained on a regular basis this season. He suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s loss to the Redskins and was replaced by Deiondre’ Hall until the rookie got two illegal hands to the face penalties in four snaps. The Bears’ defense over the course of this season would look significantly different if Porter had not gutted it out. Take a look at the rest of the depth chart at that position and tell me where the upgrade is? Porter has also been a leader in the locker room. If Porter was healthy and was getting beat up regularly, that would be another matter. He’s not close to 100 percent.
Chicago seems to need more attitude and identity. How can the Bears find who they are and translate it in to wins? -- @jro111111
I think they need more talent, more difference makers on both sides of the ball. It’s not a lack of passion and attitude. Their roster doesn’t measure up against the rosters of their opponents, especially with the rash of injuries. That’s the issue at hand here.
Bears Q&A: Who to draft in 2017, never-ending QB debate and more
Brad BiggsContact Reporter
Chicago Tribune
The Tribune's Brad Biggs answers your Bears questions weekly.
Regarding your comparison in last week’s mailbag of Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley, which favored Hoyer, it didn't seem you took into account that Barkley played without the protection of two All-Pro guards as Hoyer did. As a result, Barkley's offensive potential was diminished. In addition, Hoyer had first-string caliber receivers and tight ends to throw to which Barkley did not until Alshon Jeffery came back. If those dropped passes Barkley threw were caught by first-stringers, I think Bear fans would be clamoring for Barkley to be the clear starter in 2017. Hoyer had his chance to be a starter at Cleveland and Houston and he was mediocre enough to lose his starting role at both. He is the epitome of a journeyman quarterback. Barkley has not had the chance to be the starter until this recent stint with the Bears and he has proven to have the poise, intelligence and the arm to be a starter. His fourth-quarter rallies also proved he’s a never-quit gamer and who wouldn't want a quarterback with that character trait to lead their team? – Mark H. Tustin, Calif.
I did mention that the quarterbacks have dealt with different lineups this season when I wrote, “Yes, there are different factors and different situations each quarterback faced. Barkley has played only one game with Alshon Jeffery.” Hoyer indeed played with Long and Sitton and Barkley has not played with Long at all. I’m not going to spend a lot of time wondering about the guard combination when it comes to quarterback play and don’t think that has made a huge impact on Barkley’s performance. Barkley certainly has shown some grit in his five starts but I think you’re looking at a player with a low ceiling and because you read the answer I provided, I am sure you saw the point was to compare the statistics the two had put up. That was prior to the Redskins game when Barkley threw five interceptions. If Barkley is the starting quarterback for the Bears to begin the 2017 season, I would imagine most fans will feel underwhelmed. There is a segment of readers that really believe in his potential. As I’ve written, maybe I am wrong when it comes to Barkley. But I find it difficult to believe the entire league basically whiffed on the guy before he landed with the Bears in September after being released by the Cardinals. Sometimes when it looks too good to be true, that’s just what it is. Barkley could put together an extended career as a quality No. 2 quarterback. I’d be surprised if he is a long-term successful starting quarterback. Will he be in the Bears’ plans for 2017? He certainly could be. But I have to think when general manager Ryan Pace is plotting the future, he’s aiming for bigger and better at the position.
Assuming a solid draft like the last one, with maybe a new quarterback and the opponents now set, how many games can the Bears realistically win next year? -- @kiddchicago
For starters, I don’t think we can just “assume” the Bears will have a solid draft next year. Certainly there will be high hope and this year’s draft class has been productive. The Bears will be well positioned with a high pick and that increases their chances for hitting. But the 2015 draft class has been underwhelming this season with wide receiver Kevin White missing 13 games and nose tackle Eddie Goldman missing more than half the year. The quarterback thing is a total wild card. Yes, the opponents are set for next season but the schedule is a hard thing to gauge. The Bears should have benefitted from playing the weak AFC South this season and they went 0-4 against the worst division in football. The NFC East looked like a good draw this season (based on 2015) and has been one of the best divisions in football. If the Bears get an impactful draft class, if they get a serious upgrade at quarterback and if they stay healthy, they could be in the mix for .500. I think that’s realistic. To hope for a huge leap seems unrealistic given the current state of the roster. But we’re so far off. Let’s see what shakes out in the offseason.
With Mike McCoy potentially being available, do you think John Fox would look to bring him in as offensive coordinator to pair with a rookie quarterback? -- @tommy_Dobbs
McCoy’s future looks very uncertain in San Diego with a 27-36 record heading into Sunday’s season finale against the Chiefs. If the Bears replace Dowell Loggains, and we’ve got no idea at this point what coach John Fox is going to do with his coaching staff at this point, prominent names will emerge for the job that have a history with him. That is why there was speculation Fox might look to hire Ken Whisenhunt last year after Adam Gase left because Fox nearly hired him in Denver. McCoy worked for Fox in Carolina and Denver. That being said, I don’t know that McCoy has a history of developing rookie quarterbacks. I wouldn’t count Tim Tebow. If Loggains is fired and if McCoy is available, sure his name will be front and center. Let’s keep in mind that one challenge Fox will have if he makes move with his coaching staff is that he’s going to have pressure to win and that can make it challenging for coaches to fill vacancies. That’s the problem Lovie Smith encountered multiple times when he replaces play callers on offense. Fox is more well connected around the league than Smith was however.
Who was a better center Hroniss Grasu or Cody Whitehair? Who starts next year? Could that spell a move of Kyle Long to offensive tackle? -- @iamsupremecourt
Whitehair has been significantly better at center than Grasu was last season. I’ve gotten this question a couple times in recent weeks with some wondering if Long could move back to right tackle in a reshuffling of the line to get Grasu in the starting lineup. How quickly some forget the poorly planned switch of Long to right tackle last season didn’t work real well. Long gave his best but he’s clearly a better player at guard and my guess is he would prefer to play guard. I don’t see Long moving to tackle in an effort to get Grasu on the field. Plus, right tackle Bobby Massie has been solid since the first month of the season, something folks tend to overlook. My guess is Grasu is projected as a reserve for 2017.
Is Jamaal Adams or Jabrill Peppers worth a No. 3 pick? -- @adamchrz15
Adams is a very intriguing prospect and if the LSU junior leaves school early, he could become the first safety drafted in the top 10 since Alabama’s Mark Barron was selected seventh overall in 2012 by the Buccaneers. That pick didn’t work out real well for Tampa Bay but Adams has generated buzz from NFL scouts. Whether Adams is worth the third pick in the draft remains to be seen. That might be a little rich. I don’t think Peppers is a top-10 pick at this point. That’s the vibe I have gotten from scouts this season. Peppers has been a tremendous player for Michigan and has been extremely versatile playing linebacker and safety. Some view him as a little bit of a tweener and he hasn’t consistently made plays on the ball as a safety. Believe it or not, some think Peppers is best with the ball in his hands and might be better as a running back. He’s not Charles Woodson, a versatile threat that played at Michigan before a Hall of Fame NFL career.
Are any of the quarterbacks worth a top-4 pick? -- @geoman52
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or in this case in the eye of the teams drafting in the top four. The Bears have a good chance to own the No. 3 or No. 4 pick in the draft and will do exhaustive work on the draft-eligible quarterbacks. This is the one position that is consistently overdrafted because of supply and demand. It’s hard to say how high Clemson’s Deshaun Watson or Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer will be selected at this point. Both are headed to the draft and most believe North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky will declare for the draft. He’s another strong possibility. Let’s keep one thing in mind: Nearly every team near the top of the draft has a desperate need for a quarterback. Teams in the mix for the top six are the Browns, 49ers, Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Titans (who own the Rams’ pick). If you’re not a believer in Blake Bortles at this point (and that’s a dwindling crowd), every team but the Titans will be in the market for a quarterback. That’s before a team outside of the top six considers a trade up for a quarterback. So the Bears are going to have plenty of competition when it comes to finding a quarterback to guide the franchise into the future.
Will Jordan Howard get more carries next season? With how well he has been I thought he would be getting more than 16 per game. -- @dovalems
Sure, I think you can project more carries for Howard next season but keep in mind there is a high injury rate with backs. Howard has proven to be plenty durable this season and is averaging 15.3 carries per game. Some have wondered about the Bears going away from the running attack in some games this season and Howard has had more than 18 carries only once in the last seven games when he carried 32 times in the 26-6 victory over the 49ers. To be fair, he is averaging 19.2 carries over the last six games. It’s not like the Bears have been feeding the ball a lot to Jeremy Langford or Ka’Deem Carey instead of getting the ball to Howard. The upside here is Howard won’t have a ton of wear and tear heading into his second season and coming off a disastrous season for the organization, there is some upside in that.
Eric Berry looks like a great fit and big free-agent prize this offseason. Can you see the Bears being aggressive with him? -- @carl9730
Berry projects to be one of the best free agents if he indeed makes it to the open market. He is playing under the franchise tag this season and it’s unlikely the Chiefs will tag him for a second consecutive season as the price tag would rise to a little more than $12.9 million. It’s possible Kansas City will look to extend Berry into the future but the sides were not able to hammer out a deal before this season. I don’t think the Chiefs are going to break the bank to sign Berry but you never know what will happen. Berry, who turns 28 on Wednesday, is having another fine season and if he reaches the open market there is a good chance he sets a new bar for safety pay. He would be an intriguing option for the Bears but let’s keep in mind that Berry is in his seventh season and at this point his best football is behind him. It’s fair to say the Chiefs have a better defense at this point too and that will make Berry better than plugging him in on the current Bears defense. The Bears, of course, have glaring holes at the safety position, and really need to seek upgrades there. In a perfect world, the Bears get the next Berry. They find an impact safety in the draft and get a player that will be ascending. However, the team has needs across the roster and if they don’t get that impactful safety early in the draft, perhaps pursuing Berry is the way to go. He’s a talented player with high mileage and the Bears are going to have to draft well to return to contention. They’re not going to be able to use the McCaskey’s check book to return to prominence. For what it’s worth, the Chiefs will have a much tighter salary cap to work with in 2017 than the Bears.
What are the financials involved in holding on to Jay Cutler for one more year vs. cutting ties? Does one more year make any sense? -- @kezzy143
Cutler is scheduled to earn $12.5 million in base pay next season with another $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses ($156,250 per game). The Bears would take a $2 million salary cap hit if they release Cutler or trade him. If the Bears keep Cutler in 2017, they could shed him after that season and take a cap hit of $1 million. The Bears will have a ton of cap room in 2017 so a $2 million hit for cutting ties with Cutler would not impact them. It’s not a money or cap decision. It’s a football decision that needs to be made with Cutler.
Do you think Charles Leno is a starting caliber left tackle or do the Bears need an upgrade at the position? -- @stephenclapp1
There isn’t any question Leno is a starting-caliber left tackle in the NFL. The question that is worth exploring at this point is how good Leno can become? He’s started the last 28 games and has been the team’s most durable lineman for the last two seasons. Leno hasn’t been as good this season as he would like to be but there have been a ton of moving parts on the offense as a whole. That’s not an excuse for him. Leno is only 25 years old and is scheduled to earn $690,000 in 2017, the final year of his rookie contract. I believe there is still upside to Leno and when you consider considerable needs elsewhere on both sides of the ball, I think the Bears head into 2017 with cautious optimism that Leno can take a step forward. It’s not going to be a very good draft for left tackles, at least it doesn’t look like it right now, and paying to get a legitimate upgrade at left tackle is going to cost a pretty penny when the team has a lot of pressing needs at positions where there are not options currently on the roster.
Could the Bears look at acquiring Tyrod Taylor in the offseason? -- @jake4lenza
Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor runs the ball against the Dolphins on Dec. 24, 2016. (Brett Carlsen / Getty Images)
If Taylor isn’t the solution for the Bills, who have been searching for a quarterback since Jim Kelly retired 20 years ago, why would he be the answer for the Bears? It is highly unlikely Taylor is in the Bills’ plans for 2017 as his contract would require a $27.5 million commitment from the team. I suppose it is possible the Bills look to rework Taylor’s deal but with a coaching change underway and possible upheaval in the front office, that seems unlikely.
Most likely to be starting quarterback next year – Brian Hoyer, Matt Barkley, Jay Cutler or someone else? -- @mikedodds1
There are a ton of possibilities when it comes to the quarterback situation and general manager Ryan Pace is going to need to prepare for a long list of scenarios. Hoyer and Barkley are both coming out of contract while Cutler is signed through 2020. The wild card here is do the Bears draft a quarterback or do they trade for one like the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo? If they trade for a guy like Garoppolo, and bear in mind the price tag will not be cheap, they’ve got a starter. If they draft a quarterback in say the first three rounds, it’s very likely that rookie will not be prepared to be the Day 1 starter next September. In that event, they need a starter and that is where someone like Hoyer or perhaps Barkley could come into play. The problem is the Bears would have a difficult time selling progress if Hoyer or Barkley is their starting quarterback next September. I don’t envision Cutler as the kind of player they want to be ahead of a draft pick either but until the Bears make a move with him, he’s still in play. There are simply way too many variables to make a definitive selection here. It’s a conundrum for Pace right now.
What should be Ryan Pace’s No. 1 priority heading into the offseason? -- @hawa_hussein
Quarterback.
Which of the current Bears receivers do you anticipate being on the roster in 2017? -- @vhavalad
Some people disagree with me but my hunch at this point is the Bears do not pursue Alshon Jeffery in free agency and he departs for another team. I think it’s fair to bet there is no way the organization places the franchise tag on him for a second go around because that would come at a price tag of $17.5 million for one season, far above the production level he’s at. Maybe I’m wrong on Jeffery and he certainly could be in future plans if the Bears deem him a player they cannot afford to move forward without him. Jeffery is the only real wild card in terms of a future with the team. I would expect the Bears release veteran Eddie Royal as he’s signed for $5 million in 2017 and the guaranteed money in his contract is up at the end of this season. He’s been solid when he’s healthy but that’s been a real issue. Kevin White will return for his third season after undergoing leg surgery in his first two seasons. Cameron Meredith will be back for one more season before he becomes a restricted free agent entering the 2018 season. He’s put together a really nice season as his playing time has expanded by injuries and the suspension that Jeffery served. Josh Bellamy will be an exclusive rights free agent once again and I think there is a better than decent chance he is back because of his ability on special teams. Rookie Daniel Braverman will be back next season. My guess would be that Deonte Thompson, who will be a free agent, moves on. He’s made some plays as a wide receiver in the last month but the Bears need a better kickoff return candidate. Marquess Wilson’s contract is up and considering his durability issues it would surprise me if the Bears sought to bring him back unless it’s a minimum-salary benefit deal. Dres Anderson is on the practice squad and he could be a candidate for a reserve/future contract. If the Bears don’t bring Jeffery back, this certainly becomes a position in need of a talent infusion.
Why would the Bears keep old John Fox instead of up-and-coming Adam Gase? -- @gkeasily
Well, the Bears interviewed both Fox and Pace for the head-coaching vacancy in 2015 after Marc Trestman and chose to hire Fox. They weren’t going to reverse course after only one season and fire Fox to promote Gase to the position. At the time of the hiring, they deemed Fox, a coach with plenty of head-coaching experience, a better option than Gase. Let’s not make the offensive performance by the Bears in 2015 to be something it wasn’t either. Quarterback Jay Cutler reduced his turnovers to a degree but the offense still wasn’t a threat. Maybe they would be in a different position right now had they initially hired Gase. It’s possible. But it’s unrealistic to think the franchise would fire Fox after only one season and then pay him to not coach for the next three years.
Does Tracy Porter actually cover anyone or is he just a spectator trying to chase a receiver (with the ball) down? -- @cubfancurt
It’s suddenly trendy to knock Porter and I don’t think that is fair when you consider the knee injury he has been battling through for nearly the entire season. Porter clearly isn’t moving like he does when he’s healthy and as I reported last month, he’s had to have one of his knees drained on a regular basis this season. He suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s loss to the Redskins and was replaced by Deiondre’ Hall until the rookie got two illegal hands to the face penalties in four snaps. The Bears’ defense over the course of this season would look significantly different if Porter had not gutted it out. Take a look at the rest of the depth chart at that position and tell me where the upgrade is? Porter has also been a leader in the locker room. If Porter was healthy and was getting beat up regularly, that would be another matter. He’s not close to 100 percent.
Chicago seems to need more attitude and identity. How can the Bears find who they are and translate it in to wins? -- @jro111111
I think they need more talent, more difference makers on both sides of the ball. It’s not a lack of passion and attitude. Their roster doesn’t measure up against the rosters of their opponents, especially with the rash of injuries. That’s the issue at hand here.
