The Best Ways Bears Can Fill Key Gaps Before Camp
The offseason plan of Ryan Pace came about in a manner leaving only four real areas of concern depth-wise heading into training camp, and only one starting spot with question marks around it.
The starting spot is at right guard where they're counting on totally inexperienced Rashaad Coward, who wasn't even moved from defense to play the guard spot, or Germain Ifedi, who struggled greatly playing tackle and really wasn't much better in a shorter stint with Seattle at guard.
A more proven guard option would solidify the line in a few ways.
The starting stability would be there and then the tackle depth would improve. The Bears signed Jason Spriggs as a backup tackle but his history includes one injury after another. However, with either Ifedi or Coward they have players who have been tackles as well so the position would be fortified beyond starters Charles Leno Jr. and Bobby Massie.
The lack of an experienced third inside linebacker is their greatest depth problem, and moving up Joel Iyiegbuniwe into the spot seems risky because he hasn't even seemed to play any better than December acquisition Devante Bond, who carries along baggage from a brief Bucs career.
The Bears were spoiled with Nick Kwiatkoski as a backup, but there has to be an option better than a completely unproven veteran or unwanted player from another team.
The Bears have about $12.5 million available according to Spotrac.com and Overthecap.com and a rookie payroll without a first-round pick on it. So they have some available cash for one or more depth moves.
Here are top potential options to solve some problems.
Darron Lee
Much like they did with Kevin Pierre-Louis last year, the Bears could find a linebacker in Kansas City who has been around the league and still could have plenty of career remaining. Lee won a Super Bowl ring last year with the Chiefs as special teams player and backup. He started only two games and played only 14% of the defensive snaps, while getting on the field for 57% of the special teams plays. It's possible the Bears could be looking for an inside linebacker with more special teams experience. Lee never played more than 33% of his team's special teams until last year. However, this is a player who ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the combine and had a 35 1/2-inch vertical leap. As an athlete, it's difficult to find an addition and insurance with better athletic ability. Lee was traded for a sixth-round draft pick by the Jets to Kansas City last year and as a former Jets player was well-versed in playing inside in the 3-4 defense.
Vinny Curry
Beyond their top two pass rushers, the only proven experienced player is Barkevious Mingo, who has never been a pass rusher as much as he has been an athlete and special teams player. Trevis Gipson is being counted on to be a pass rusher as a fifth-round rookie and it might be too much to ask, particularly because of the way he was used in college. Tulsa had Gipson playing with his hand down in the dirt more as a five-technique defensive end, and now he's being asked to play in space and start out in a two-point stance. It's likely to take him some time. As veteran outside pass rush help goes, the Bears would be hard-pressed to find someone more productive with this kind of experience for as little money on a one-year deal. Curry cost the Eagles only $2.25 million last year after being cut by the Bucs for cap purposes. At this point the asking price can't be too high. Curry's whole career has been built around him being a pass rush specialist who didn't start. He played five years and had 19 sacks before becoming a starter for the Eagles and then only made three sacks. He's better used as a relief pass rusher or situationally by the down. The Bears paid Aaron Lynch the last $5.75 million over the last two years and got five total sacks from him as a relief pass rusher. Curry had that many last year alone and it's possible the Bears could sign him for something similar to what they paid Lynch. As always, the concern with a bigger edge is whether he can fit in a 3-4 scheme as an outside linebacker instead of being a 4-3 defensive end. Curry is 6-foor-3, 279 pounds. But the Bears didn't seem too concerned with Lynch playing there and he was 6-5, 285. Besides, if he was on the field in pass rush situations the Bears are using a four-man front.
Larry Warford
He's been out there since the Saints cut him and wants a nice contract from someone. At this point Warford may simply be waiting for camps to start and some team to suffer an injury to a starting lineman so he can come in and get the price he's asking. The Bears have already signed Germain Ifedi to compete with Rashaad Coward, but signing Ifedi doesn't necessarily mean they have to ignore Warford. They've only signed Ifedi to a one-year, prove-it deal. Ifedi could just as easily be depth for them for one year if they signed Warford as he could be a starter.
Timmy Jernigan
The only defensive line addition the Bears have made was John Jenkins and he has been more of a classic nose tackle type than an end. Jernigan has been an undersized (292 pounds) end in a 3-4 for Baltimore and a play-making defensive tackle for the Eagles in a 4-3. Versatility in the Bears front is what made Nick Williams useful last year before he left for Detroit in free agency. Jernigan hurt the Bears in their playoff game two years ago. He played on a $2.25 million deal last year in Philadelphia and could be available for something similar. Without adding someone, the Bears are either banking on Brent Urban making a contribution like he hasn't with any team to date, or Abdullah Anderson moving up a spot to be the sixth player in their front three. He hadn't proven capable of this as of last year.
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