What Edge Interest in Draft Can Say About Bears' Plans

It can't look good for the return of Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd when the salar cap-handicapped team has already committed $3.3 million to defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris, gave $14 million guaranteed cash to inside linebacker Danny Trevathan over three years and free agent safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is making cryptic quotes Saturday on social media hinting at his return to Chicago.

You have to wonder where all the money is coming from in this case, and the only way they could rapidly produce a massive amount of cap space like this seems to be by deciding Floyd's non-guaranteed salary of $13.2 million is unnecessary even as GM Ryan Pace continues singing his praises.

There are other reasons to think the Bears could be moving on from Floyd, like far and away the largest number of potential draft picks who are known to have talked to them are pass rushers. They're either rated by most scouting sites as a 3-4 outside linebacker, an edge rusher or 4-3 defensive end with an ability to get involved as a 3-4 pass rusher.

Walterfootball.com tries to keep track of the meetings by all NFL teams with potential draft picks and had eight listed with the Bears.

If they're not moving on from Leonard Floyd, is acquiring a third pass rusher so important that they would focus so much time on pass rushers? Of course, teams do their due diligence. But that's taking due diligence to an extreme.

Tulsa's Trevis Gipson, Utah's Bradlee Anae, Michigan State's Kenny Willekes, LSU's K'Lavon Chaisson, Florida's duo of Jabari Zuniga and Jonathan Greenard, Penn State's Yetur Gross-Matos and Boise State's Curtis Weaver have been reported to have had contact with the Bears. Bearreport.com has reported one of the visits was a private workout given to Boise State's Weaver.

A Boise State pass rusher might cause some nightmares for Bears fans, considering it's where Phil Emery unearthed first-round draft pick Shea McClellin when he could have drafted Chandler Jones or Whitney Mercilus. The fact Boise State also produced DeMarcus Lawrence and Leighton Vander Esch tends to counter this concern.

At the scouting combine, Weaver said he came in at 246 pounds to school and has added about 20 pounds.

"I can play in space," he told writers last month at the combine. "I did at Boise, played multiple positions. I'm two-point stance on the edge at all times."

When Weaver watches pass rushers, there's one in particular. And if he came to the Bears, he wouldn't need film to do it.

"Most on the bull rush, trying to find like watching like a Khalil Mack and how he does that long arm," Weaver said. "That's something I look at, trying to put that in my game."

Weaver had more sacks than any of the players on this list of players the Bears have spoken with in the draft. He had a phenomenal 34 for his career, with 128 tackles and six pass defenses.

"I spend a lot of time watching Chandler Jones because of his consistency aspect of the game," Weaver said. "He's always consistent, every season, and then you have Dwight Freeney. I watched tape of him from back in the day on how he just sold stuff on the field. And then Von Miller with the get-off. His get-off is phenomenal.

"I'm trying to make a path of my own."

It wouldn't be surprising if that path led to Chicago, based on the way they seem to be heading in their offseason approach.

Then again, the Bears have been known to work wonders with the salary cap and the talks with pass rushers could mean they're finally going to get Mack and Floyd some help.

Yet, it would take a real cap miracle to get them enough money to do all of this and also bring in a backup quarterback of note to challenge Mitchell Trubisky.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven