There isn’t a Bears fan who would disagree with the assessment that Chicago’s offense needs change. Moreover, I believe most fans would agree that upgrades along the offensive line are a must. And to that end, shuffling the names in the trenches figured to be something on the Bears’ to-do list this offseason.
Change appears to be on the horizon:
The #Bears are not likely to exercise the option on OT Bobby Massie’s contract, another casualty of the cap crunch, source said. He’ll be a FA, saving them more than $5M vs. the cap & putting a starting caliber tackle on the market in a year when OTs are more valuable than ever.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2021
Rapoport’s report about Chicago being unlikely to exercise the 2021 option on Bobby Massie’s contract shouldn’t come as a surprise. Massie, 31, has missed 14 regular-season games over the last two season due to various injuries. This after missing just four games since the start of the 2014 season. Once a fixture at right tackle because of his durability, Massie is now seen as a cap casualty for a Bears team looking to create spending money to rebuild elsewhere in 2021.
How much cap space Chicago can create will depend on how the team designates his departure. A traditional cut creates an estimated $5.4 million, per OverTheCap.com’s calculations. But if the Bears wanted to spread the dead-money hit over two years and create a bit more cap wiggle-room, the team could opt for a post-June 1 cut. In that scenario, Chicago can clear $8 million in space, while leaving a $1.3 million in “dead money” for 2021.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s important that the Bears are moving things around to generate cap room. However, the team is parting ways with a solid veteran and creating a need along the offensive line. The good news is that there are ample options in which Chicago can address this vacancy. The Bears can look into a draft class loaded with high quality prospects who could be Day 1 starters available in the first two rounds. They could also go with an internal option such as Alex Bars, who has experience all over the line. Or Chicago could dabble in free agency. There might even be a combo plan to be had for a creative front office. In the end, the Bears are waving goodbye to one of their two starting tackles. Another sign that change is coming in a must-win year.
2021 Bears Offseason Outlook: Offensive Line – Who’s Gonna Block? Position Changes, Draft Options, Morehttps://t.co/kmdsCukpVC
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) March 2, 2021