George McCaskey looked nervous going into his first press conference in months. It isn’t hard to understand why. He was about to make official a decision more than a few people weren’t going to like. Confirming that GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy would return next season at the head of the franchise. This knowledge drastically changes the outlook of the latest Chicago Bears 2021 mock offseason.

Knowing those two are back in charge makes it clear what the agenda will be for the next four months. Doing anything and everything possible to find a quarterback. Could Mitch Trubisky return? It’s possible but all the signs point to that being unlikely. Pace and Nagy both know their jobs are on the line and relying on Trubisky again won’t do them any favors.

They need to push hard for an upgrade. Here is a breakdown of their likeliest target.

Chicago Bears 2021 mock offseason is all about the QB

Cuts:

• Bobby Massie (post-June 1st) – $8 million
• Jimmy Graham – $7 million
• Buster Skrine (post-June 1st) – $5 million

No surprises here. All three men have become too expensive for their worth. Massie missed half the season with injuries and is entering his 30s. Graham had a solid year but not enough to justify that cap number. Skrine suffered his sixth-career concussion and failed to return. That raises red flags about whether he should even continue playing football.

Salary cap: $19.91 million

Trades:

#20 pick and 2nd in 2022 to Raiders for QB Derek Carr and 5th in 2021

Pace delivered the biggest blockbuster move of his career when he traded for Khalil Mack back in 2018 and it paid off immediately. Could lightning strike twice? Jon Gruden is notoriously restless at quarterback. There are still many speculating he could choose to move on from Derek Carr. Especially with the Raiders’ cap issues and desperate need for defensive help. Securing another 1st round pick would enable him to possibly hunt another QB he has eyes for.

Carr isn’t as flashy as a Deshaun Watson or Dak Prescott. However, he’s a considerable upgrade over anything the Bears have. The 30-year old just finished the best season of his career with over 4,000 yards, 27 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He has two affordable years left on his current deal. If Pace wants to make a splash without giving up the farm? This is it.

WR Anthony Miller to Patriots for 6th in 2021

Probably one of the bigger disappointments of the last few years. Miller has lots of talent. That has never been in question. When he’s on, he can take over games. The problem is he runs remarkably hot and cold. One week he’ll be good and the next he’ll be almost invisible. This season has been his worst to date. Bad dropped passes, several mental lapses, and being ejected from a playoff game despite a clear warning to maintain his composure. He needs a fresh start elsewhere.

Salary cap: $-1.005 million

Re-signings/Extensions:

CB Kyle Fuller – two-year extension for $24 million ($9 million 2021 cap hit)

Cap space will be paramount if the Bears are going to make all of this work. So they get busy on finding it. Releasing or trading Fuller is an option but the idea is to keep the team as talented as possible in order to make a run at the playoffs now. So they decide to extend the 29-year old. He is still a good football player and should be for at least a couple more years. This extension should make everybody happy.

NT Eddie Goldman – contract restructure ($2.5 million in cap gained)

The Bears really missed Goldman this season. Without him, their run defense was porous all year long. The good news is he should be back in 2021 and is entering his prime at 27-years old. That makes him a perfect candidate for a contract restructure. While it isn’t much, every little bit will help the team towards their goal.

S Eddie Jackson – contract restructure ($6 million in cap gained)

Jackson had the worst season of his career in 2020, failing to record an interception. He needs to rebound in a big way. Hopefully, a new defensive coordinator can help with that. Either way, his contract is already looking like a burden. So the Bears must make use of it however they can. That includes restructuring it.

QB Derek Carr – two-year extension for $60 million ($12 million 2021 cap hit)

With Carr in place, the Bears can and should work towards lowering his 2021 cap hit. A two-year extension with a pay raise up to $30 million per year should get that job done. The quarterback gets more long-term security with extra guaranteed money and the team finds extra breathing space to do the next essential part of their work.

WR Allen Robinson – four-year deal for $80 million ($8 million 2021 cap hit)

The arrival of Carr in Chicago along with a higher offer at $20 million per year is the decisive turning point in the Bears’ efforts to sign their star receiver long-term. He’s never had a quarterback of Carr’s quality in his career. He wants to stay in Chicago and now he gets the kind of money he has been wanting. Everybody is happy.

K Cairo Santos – three-year deal for $12.9 million ($2 million 2021 cap hit)

The last piece of important business for this part of the Bears 2021 mock offseason is securing their kicker long-term. Santos was magnificent this past season, hitting 30-of-32 field goals. The highest accuracy rate a Bears kicker has ever produced in a single season. He’s more than earned a pay raise, securing a troublesome spot for the organization.

• OT Germaine Ifedi – one-year deal for $990,000
• OT Jason Spriggs – one-year deal for $990,000
• CB Artie Burns – one-year deal for $990,000
• S DeAndre Houston-Carson – one-year deal for $990,000
• LS Patrick Scales – one-year deal for $990,000
• OG Alex Bars – ERFA tender for $850,000
• TE J.P Holtz – ERFA tender for $850,000
• ILB Josh Woods – ERFA tender for $850,000
• RB Ryan Nall – ERFA tender for $850,000
• EDGE James Vaughters – ERFA tender for $780,000

Rest assured these other moves will force the Bears to play it extraordinarily cheap the rest of the way. Cordarrelle Patterson? Tashaun Gipson? Mario Edwards Jr.? Roy Robertson-Harris? All will be sacrificed in order for the team to maintain as much cap space as humanly possible. This means Pace will have to get creative in maintaining the team’s depth with younger players and bargain free agents.

Salary cap: $9.49 million

Free agency:

CB De’Vante Bausby – one-year deal for $990,000

Bausby had a previous stint in Chicago and has gotten more work in Denver under Vic Fangio since then. He’s a solid backup cornerback with good size and athleticism. Somebody they’d be able to plug in if either of their outside starters got hurt.

S Xavier Woods – one-year deal for $990,000

With Deon Bush leaving, the Bears need somebody who can fill that thumper safety role. Woods has developed that reputation for a number of years. He’s not a flashy athlete but he plays physical and can be relied on in the box.

Salary cap: $7.51 million

The Draft:

2nd round – Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State

With their quarterback in place, the Bears have to get proactive in shoring up his protection. With Massie out of the picture, that leaves a hole at right tackle. Radunz is a big, athletic kid with plenty of power in his frame. He shows a nasty streak in the run game and has solid building blocks in pass protection. There are still things for him to sort out but the talent is certainly there for him to become a long-term bookend in Chicago.

Watching OT Dillon Radunz from North Dakota State when I see this fun block pop up.

Was it in the back? Maybe, no flag but it was close. Ultimately I really like the hustle and the desire to get a hit in 20 yards past the LOS. pic.twitter.com/Y0wfHoIyRa

— Chris Shepherd (@NFLscheme) January 13, 2021

3rd round – Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina

Getting more explosive has been a goal for the Bears for some time now. They finally have at least one option to help with that in Darnell Mooney. Now they seek to grab another with Brown. He is a true vertical threat with the speed to get over the top. He’s a good athlete and battles every time he has the ball in his hands. There is no fear in the kid. He does need to add strength though and has plenty to learn in regards to route running.

5th round (via LV) – Bobby Brown III, DT, Texas A&M

Hopefully, the Bears manage to hang onto defensive line coach Jay Rodgers. He’s proven to be a master at developing young talents. See Goldman and Bilal Nichols. Bobby Brown could be his latest project. He has the required size for a 3-4 defensive end at 6’4, 315 lbs. There is clear power throughout his frame and he demonstrates a good juice and quickness to generate a consistent pass rush. If his motor runs hot, he’s a problem.

Every week a scout buddy says to watch Texas A&M DT Bobby Brown III

Says he’s a guy the NFL is much higher on than media buzz. Helluva rep against Trey Smith

6’4 325 Junior pic.twitter.com/aIr4G0U0KC

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) December 20, 2020

5th round – Amari Burney, LB, Florida

The depth at linebacker took a hit for Chicago this past year so they need to start filling it back up. Burney is exactly the sort of talent they like. While not big by some NFL standards, he has a great mixture of adequate size and standout athleticism. The guy has plenty of speed and shows great range going sideline to sideline. His ability to diagnose plays pre-snap is above average as well. Has experience at linebacker and safety.

6th round (via NE) – Tony Poljan, TE, Virginia

Raw in terms of polish as a tight end. However, Poljan has the size and athleticism that makes him an exciting prospect. He’s also a former quarterback which allows him to see what the defense is doing from snap to snap. This lets him figure out ways to attack it, leading to more big plays. He can make a perfect “U” tight end to pair with Cole Kmet.

#SCTop10 Toe Tap 🤯 🤯 pic.twitter.com/V8utqtA5aR

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) October 25, 2020

6th round – Tariq Thompson, S, San Diego State

Size and athleticism are fine with him. Neither are particularly noteworthy. What tends to separate Thompson from others is his instinct. He shows a clear understanding of what offenses are doing and is almost always in the right position to be around the football. If nothing else, he’ll be an immediate help to them on special teams.

7th round (via MIA) – Camryn Bynum, CB, Cal

Athletically he’s decent with good enough size. He has a ton of starting experience, isn’t afraid to tackle, and has the fluidity to handle press coverage. His problems stem from two areas. Average foot quickness and long speed. Two things that become major issues against receivers that run sharp routes. Still, there is enough in his game to work with.