NEWSLETTER
It’s the first Monday in May. What better time for a Chicago Bears offseason reset?
For reference, this is what things were looking like for the Bears when they opened the new league year back in March.
Chicago Bears free agency: Who’s in? Who’s out?
WHO’S IN
These are the newest members of the Bears who joined the team via free agency or trade:
Other Bears additions: S Tarvarius Moore, DB Douglas Coleman III, LS Cameron Lyons, OL Jake Curhan
WHO’S OUT
These notable contributors from the 2023 team are gone:
STILL OUT THERE
These former Bears are still free agents:
I wouldn’t mind the Bears bringing back Marcedes Lewis. The veteran tight end could be helpful in bringing along a rookie quarterback. Lewis, who turns 40 later in May, was Pro Football Focus’ fifth-highest-graded tight end last year. Only George Kittle, Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, and T.J. Hockenson earned higher marks from PFF.
The Bears could stand to add to their pass rush. And I wonder if a Yannick Ngakoue reunion makes sense.
2024 Chicago Bears draft picks
The Chicago Bears had a highly-acclaimed NFL Draft class. USA Today and the Associated Press gave the Bears “A+” grades. Put it on the refrigerator!
2024 Chicago Bears projected starting lineup
OFFENSE
QB – Caleb Williams
RB – D’Andre Swift
WR – Keenan Allen
WR – D.J. Moore
WR – Rome Odunze
TE – Cole Kmet
LT – Braxton Jones
LG – Teven Jenkins
C – Coleman Shelton
RG – Nate Davis
RT – Darnell Wright
When we did this exercise in March, I boldly penciled Caleb Williams into the starting lineup. My reasoning was simple: Based on the reporting from folks at respected outlets, the signs were pointing to Justin Fields being on his way out and Caleb Williams being next in line. I took some guff for that bold prediction. But now, I wear it with pride.
The Bears offense projects to have six new starters and a new offensive coordinator calling the shots. Things appear to be on the upswing for this offense. Then again, it’s hard to get worse than where they were when we last saw the team in the season finale against the Green Bay Packers.
DEFENSE
DE – Montez Sweat
DT – Gervon Dexter Sr.
NT – Andrew Billings
DE – ¯DeMarcus Walker
LB – T.J. Edwards
LB – Tremaine Edmunds
CB – Jaylon Johnson
CB – Kyler Gordon
CB – Tyrique Stevenson
FS – Kevin Byard
SS – Jaquan Brisker
Not much has changed here from when we checked in before the free agency period began. The Bears have added depth pieces (most notably Simone Biles’ husband, safety Jonathan Owens). But as you might have expected coming into this offseason, Chicago’s football team wasn’t really in a position to splurge on defense (again) after signing T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds in free agency last offseason, then locking in Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson to extensions.
Hopes should be high for this unit in 2024. This group is led by a defensive-leaning head coach and playcaller who has playmakers at every level of the defense. Montez Sweat and Jaylon Johnson were Pro Bowlers last year. Tremaine Edmunds and Kevin Byard each have multiple Pro Bowl nods on their résumés. Byard has a pair of All-Pro seasons under his belt, too. There should be no excuse for this defense not to be in the top half of the league in 2024.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Cairo Santos
LS – Patrick Scales
P – Tory Taylor
I had ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ next to the punter back in March because I had no confidence that Trenton Gill would be The Guy. Could he have beaten out Corliss Waitman in a summertime punt-off at training camp? Sure. But we won’t even get that and are instead set to have Tory Taylor lined up to be Chicago’s new punter. Waitman remains on the roster (for now) and could serve as the warm-blooded camp leg. Because I guess someone has to punt to the reserves.
Bears salary cap update
After another offseason of change, the Chicago Bears are $22,795,535 under the cap, according to OverTheCap.com. That represents the 12th-most space among NFL teams. OTC also has Effective Cap Space data, which accounts for projected deals for rookies and draft picks. By that mark, the Bears have $12,519,935 left under the cap. Even with the Bears’ spending the last two offseasons, the cap situation looks to be in good shape. Tip your cap to General Manager Ryan Poles and his front office for putting the team in a healthy cap situation. It remains a refreshing alternative to where this team was at the end of the Ryan Pace era.
The Bears could still tinker with their roster between now and the start of training camp. Heck, I fully expect them to do so a bunch of times between now and then because the NFL roster churn never ends. So, stay tuned…
