The Chicago Bears completed the two primary sections of their offseason in free agency and the draft. All things considered, they accomplished most of their objectives. They added competition at quarterback with Nick Foles, upgraded an awful tight end position, found more speed at wide receiver, found a replacement for Prince Amukamara at cornerback, and gave their pass rush a massive facelift.
That said, it’s possible GM Ryan Pace isn’t done quite yet. Already other NFL teams have begun cutting veteran players to make room for draft picks. It’s possible one of these cuts could end making perfect sense for the Bears at positions they could still use help. ESPN projected several such names that are on the cutting block. Here are a few that would fit.
Possible cuts who the Chicago Bears could grab
Josh Rosen (QB)
One of the more curious decisions by the Bears in the past month was not adding a young quarterback to their depth chart in either the draft or even undrafted free agency. Considering the uncertain futures of Nick Foles and Mitch Trubisky, one would think it might make sense to add some cheap depth they can develop. Yet they’ve remained idle.
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Rosen is a former 1st round pick who’s had some of the worst luck to start an NFL career maybe ever. He was drafted by a bad team in Arizona in 2018, stuck behind a terrible offensive line. Then he gets traded the next year to another bad team with a terrible offensive line in Miami. Most already see him as a bust and with Tua Tagovailoa arriving, belief is he could be out again. He’s only 23-years old. The Bears could take a chance on bringing him into a stable situation to rebuild his confidence.
Keelan Cole (WR)
Cole no doubt hoped he’d be able to get more work in 2020 after the departure of Marqis Lee for the Jaguars. Those hopes were crushed though when the team added both Laviska Shenault and Collin Johnson in the draft. Now his roster spot appears in jeopardy given his $3.3 million price tag. Odds are growing Jacksonville may let him walk at some point.
Cole would make sense for Chicago for two reasons. He has connections to their new quarterback Nick Foles, having worked together last year in Jacksonville. Also he brings an element of speed to the game. He averaged a healthy 15 yards per catch last season. The Bears have continued to look for more speed on offense. Adding him to the mix wouldn’t hurt.
Larry Warford (OG)
It sounds crazy to think that the New Orleans Saints would willingly dump a man who made three-straight Pro Bowls for them since 2017. Yet that’s just how absurdly loaded they are. They just drafted Cesar Ruiz in the 1st round and he’s expected to take over at guard. This will allow them to release or trade Warford which would save them an additional $8.5 million against the salary cap.
While money would be a notable obstacle, there is no question Warford would instantly solve the Bears’ lingering issues at right guard. He would step right in and lock that spot down, giving them a rock solid pass protector for either Foles or Mitch Trubisky to enjoy.
Denzel Perryman (ILB)
Chicago took a noticeable hit to their inside linebacker position this offseason. Nick Kwiatkoski, their longtime main backup who stepped in and play very well as a starter last season, was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders. Kevin Pierre-Louis, another valued reserve, signed with the Washington Redskins. This has left the depth behind Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan in question.
Perryman is a tough, aggressive player who some argue has been out of position in the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense. He also fit better as an inside linebacker. Combine that with frequent injury issues and the arrival of 1st round pick Kenneth Murray? He’s on borrowed time. Still, he produces when on the field and is 27-years old. Having him as a #3 guy would be great value for the Bears.
Avery Williamson (ILB)
When he arrived in 2018, Williams was excellent for the New York Jets. He delivered 120 tackles and three sacks. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL in the preseason last year and was done for the season. Now as the team has begun to overturn the roster under new GM Joe Douglas, expectations are they might save a considerable sum of money by letting him walk.
As with Perryman, it would be invaluable for the Bears to grab him as a primary reserve. His starting experience and proven production would be most welcome. Not to mention a nice safety blanket behind Trevathan and Smith who have a history of injury issues. Given it might be too late for him to find a starting job elsewhere, joining a defense like Chicago’s would appeal.
