Is a Bears Shopping Spree Coming?
The Bears have only 10 players under contract with average annual salaries over $3 million. They have 15 veterans who have contracts averaging between $1.3 million and $1 million.
They are a bargain basement team in their rebuilding due to their cap situation and as such they have players with corresponding lower levels of talent.
Players on other rosters who are veterans are going to be cut, as they're caught in a squeeze battling against better players or even a team cash crunch.
Those available could be better than the lower level of inexpensive players the Bears have brought in since the beginning of the Ryan Poles era.
Poles can go shopping and with close to $15 million available they could find several players who could help and would be better than what they have.
Here is where they're most likely to shop.
1. Big and Tall Receiver Store
Losing N'Keal Harry for a chunk of time might disrupt any plans they had for him to make an impact as an X-type who can also block in the run game. Maybe they don't get him back until October. Even if he comes back, he hasn't really worked in their offense. He arrived when camp started Aug. 27 and was gone by Aug. 6, then had tightrope surgery. Doing two months of mental reps isn't going to get a player ready to fit into a foreign offense.
Eventually it's possible they'd get him back and up to speed. In the meantime, receivers at 6-foot-2 or taller, with good hands and with some muscle mass can be ideal for what Luke Getsy is doing on offense.
Tajae Sharpe, Dante Pettis and the refugee receiver group Poles has brought in since March can't sit by and think they're in good position to make the team. There are receivers on rosters who have been making bigger impacts and more money than the veteran low-budget group Poles brought in, so if one becomes available on waivers don't expect some sort of loyalty to these players currently in the receiver corps other than Darnell Mooney, Velus Jones Jr., Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown.
2. Bigger Men's Store for Guards or Tackles
Perhaps they've found a right guard answer in Teven Jenkins. If a possible right guard who has experience in the wide zone scheme is on waivers and he's been a productive starter bordering on good at times, the Jenkins experiment might be for backup guard. They have Michael Schofield but he had some bad downs in the first preseason game and they moved Jenkins.
Schofield is only making $1.12 million. Both Schofield and Riley Reiff were unsigned just before camp started after an entire offseason not because they were hopeful of bigger contracts or were playing hard to get. They were available. No one wanted them enough to sign them. Players who were signed already on other teams, especially those who have been starters and effective, would be someone the Bears would take a very good look at on waivers.
The tackle situation is somewhat more complicated because Reiff is a veteran who has played a lot and has a $3 million deal for this year. Also, they have a real affinity for the work of rookie Braxton Jones Jr. at left tackle, so at this point making him into a swing tackle would seem unlikely. If a solid backup tackle at a reasonable price became available, don't expect them to look the other way. The veteran swing tackles candidates they have, Julien Davenport and Shon Coleman, have not enjoyed strong preseason games. At this point Larry Borom looks like the third tackle but they might consider a lineman with experience in wide zone who can play tackle and guard.
3. Three Technique Boutique
They can't have enough depth and talent at this critical position. They've seen Justin Jones, their starter. Mario Edwards Jr. has been missing practices and games and would save them about $1 million net after $2.6 million in cap savings and $1.6 million in dead cap if he's cut. So anything is possible here. Angelo Blackson could even be a backup three technique. He was very active again on the defensive line in Thursday's game after a camp when he made an impact during the few practices when he has been healthy.
4. Cornerbacks R Us
You can never have enough of these guys, it seems.
Yet, there are always good ones out there. Rasul Douglas was on the street where Ryan Pace could have simply put in a phone call last year to help a team with the worst passer rating against in the league, but Green Bay did it instead. The Packers got nine starts and six interceptions, or five more than all the Bears cornerbacks combined.
Kindle Vildor has had injury problems this Bears camp, as have Duke Shelley and Tavon Young. The backups who have been getting the most playing time have been Lamar Jackson and Jaylon Jones, but neither has impressive credentials.
Young's lack of availability has been disappointing considering his history of injuries. He has been an effective slot cornerback when healthy in his career but the Bears aren't seeing that so far in training camp. Backups to Kyler Gordon, Vildor and Jaylon Johnson, who have good potential, are low in supply. Time to go shopping.
5. Linebacker Depot
They were shorthanded at off-ball linebackers even before Roquan Smith began his hold-in, and now Matthew Adams has a shoulder injury and they cut Noah Dawkins. DeMarquis Gates might be a find as a backup and special teams player, and rookie Jack Sanborn is a local favorite who has shown up big time in two preseason games. One or two other linebackers with speed can't hurt.
6. Safety Suppliers
The Bears seemed very set at safety when the draft ended. That was before they knew Dane Cruikshank would be available for less than a week's worth of practices since April. The need isn't drastic, but they could use one to go with backups DeAndre Houston-Carson and Elijah Hicks.
7. The Running Back Stack
They seemed set here before the ankle injury to Trestan Ebner in Thursday's game. All depends on how severe this is.
Fullback Khari Blasingame was going to have a real role with this offense but has a knee injury of unknown severity.
Looking here for help at running back at this point is rather late but if they find a Packers or 49ers back who is cut it might make learning their offense easier for someone new.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
