With it being the bye week, it feels like a good time to get the first Chicago Bears 2027 mock offseason out there. It’s the middle of the season, and the Bears have some interesting challenges ahead of them in the wake of the Jeffery Simmons trade. They have another large contract on the books now, along with no 1st round pick next year. How will general manager Ryan Poles handle those challenges?
There is no shortage of possible avenues for him. It all depends on how practical or aggressive he wants to be. Here is one scenario that could play out. It will include some tough decisions, including a sacrifice that plenty of Bears fans won’t be wild about.
The Chicago Bears 2027 mock offseason must address a problem.
Trades:
WR Rome Odunze to the Patriots for 2nd and 6th round picks
Plenty of people won’t be happy about this. Odunze is finally playing more consistently after two frustrating, rollercoaster seasons. Didn’t the Bears draft him to grow alongside Caleb Williams for the long term? Yes, but they also drafted him to play like a star. So far, he hasn’t been that. Luther Burden and Colston Loveland are playing much more like stars. It makes sense that the Bears would want to save their future cap space for them. Odunze still has one more cheap year on his rookie deal along with the 5th-year option. He’s 24 years old. The longer they wait, the more his value will drop.
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New England is desperate for wide receiver help. Their trade for A.J. Brown isn’t working out as hoped. They know they can’t afford to leave Drake Maye so underarmed in the AFC. Odunze would give him a legitimate weapon on the outside.
Cuts:
- DT Grady Jarrett – $13.5 million saved
- LB T.J. Edwards – $8.5 million saved
With the Bears $23 million over the cap, they have to make some payroll sacrifices to get it under control. Jarrett will be 35 years old next year. Edwards will be 31. Both are strong leaders in the locker room, but the presence of Jeffery Simmons and Coby Bryant makes that less of a concern. The two of them alone nearly wipe away the Bears’ cap debt.
Salary cap = -$1.64 million
Extensions:
- CB Jaylon Johnson – 2-year extension worth $40 million (2027 cap hit lowered to $16 million)
- OG Joe Thuney – 1-year extension worth $18 million (2027 cap hit lowered to $10 million)
- EDGE Montez Sweat – 2-year extension worth $52 million (2027 cap hit lowered to $16 million)
Extending Thuney another year gives the Bears some financial wiggle room while putting some well-deserved guaranteed money in the future Hall of Famer’s pocket. The much tougher decision is Johnson. They have two options on the table: dump him or extend him. With no clear path to an upgrade at cornerback, the Bears decide to play it safe by giving him a two-year extension with a slight pay bump. The same is true of Sweat. He and Simmons work well together and the defensive end has remained steady and productive.
Salary cap = $20.31 million
Restructures:
- DT Jeffery Simmons – $16.352 million saved
There is no way this Chicago Bears 2027 mock offseason can navigate properly without a restructure somehow. It is a safe assumption the team has no plans for Simmons to go anywhere in the near future. That means his contract is probably the safest one to restructure. It finally gives them the significant breathing room they need to conduct business as they may wish.
Salary cap = $37.22 million
Free agency:
- LB Patrick Queen – 3-year deal for $42 million
- CB Tariq Woolen – 1-year deal for $10 million
- TE Charlie Woerner – 2-year deal for $9 million
- C John Michael Schmitz – 1-year deal for $1.5 million
- WR Treylon Burks – 2-year deal for $12 million
Don’t expect the Bears to go hog wild with their spending. Instead, they will likely follow their formula from this year. Take one calculated swing and then search for mid-tier bargains. Queen has been an underrated player over the past few years, demonstrating versatility as both a blitzer and in coverage. The Bears need that kind of presence at linebacker in this defense. Woolen is the ideal physical prototype for Dennis Allen: tall, long, and fast. He hasn’t played well in Philadelphia, but he does have a history of high performance in the right situation.
With uncertainty around Cole Kmet’s health, the Bears decide to add Woerner, who’s been one of the NFL’s best blocking tight ends for years. Michael Schmitz gives them some veteran experience at center as they prepare to transition to Logan Jones. Burks has graded among the league’s best blocking wide receivers and has been playing well since getting more opportunities in the passing game.
The Draft:
2nd Round (via NE) – Emmanuel Oyebadejo, DL, Florida
We’ve long known that Allen likes them big and long up front on the defensive line. Oyebadejo certainly checks those boxes at 6’7″ and 299 lbs. He’s highly athletic for his size, demonstrating good burst and strength. He’ll immediately remind people of Ziggy Ansah from the Detroit Lions. Guys that size shouldn’t be able to move as he does. He hasn’t fully unlocked his ability yet, but the possibilities are endless, and his versatility to move inside and outside will be something Allen exploits.
2nd Round – Jamari Sharpe, CB, Indiana
Size, speed, and playmaking skills. Those are all traits that Al Harris looks for when he evaluates the Bears’ draft prospects. Sharpe has all of them. He also has a reputation for stepping up in big moments, which is something head coach Ben Johnson has made a priority since arriving as head coach. His big hurdle will be learning how to play better in man coverage.
3rd Round – Omarion Miller, WR, Arizona State
Like his coach, Hines Ward, Miller has earned a reputation for physical play, both as a receiver and blocker. He can make contested catches and works hard after the catch. Also, like Sharpe, he’s building a reputation for playing big in big moments. The reason he falls to the 3rd round is his average speed. Don’t expect him to win consistently over the top, but he has plenty of other uses.
5th Round (via ATL) – Shadre Hurts, OG, Houston
Age is catching up to the Bears on the interior offensive line. Thuney is nearing retirement. Jonah Jackson is into his 30s. They have to start thinking about the future at the position. Hurst will get knocked for his average size, but he’s a technical wizard in pass protection and a great athlete on top of it.
6th Round (via NE) – Kamari Moulton, RB, Iowa
Injury setbacks and lack of consistency will knock Moulton down to the later rounds. That is a shame because he has several traits the Bears look for. He’s patient as a runner with good vision, and he pairs it with acceleration and speed to hit chunk plays. He isn’t a bell cow, but could be great in a committee.
6th Round – Cade Uluave, LB, BYU
What he lacks in overall size, Uluave makes up for in athleticism, instincts, and knowledge of the game. He’s rarely caught off guard and finds the football quickly. Blitzing is his trademark, but he isn’t a liability in coverage. If a team can get his tackling cleaned up, he will overachieve.
7th Round – Mario Landino, DT, Indiana
Some guys just know how to make things happen. People will knock Landino for his limited size and average athleticism. It doesn’t change the fact that he gets into the backfield a lot. Creating interior pressure is a natural gift that he has showcased across two seasons for one of college football’s best programs.
