The Chicago Bears were always going to face some tough roster decisions going into the 2021 offseason. COVID-19 had hit the NFL’s bottom line hard, causing a steep drop in the salary cap. The Bears like many teams weren’t prepared for that. So they would have to cut deep into their roster to get under the cap. Four names stood out as possible moves for them to make. Akiem Hicks, Jimmy Graham, Charles Leno Jr., and Kyle Fuller.
After some difficult deliberating, the Bears ended up parting ways with the latter two. As the months have passed, those decisions might be haunting the team already. Especially the loss of Fuller. Without him, the cornerback position is looking quite weak. Jaylon Johnson should be good for them but after that? There isn’t much to be excited about with Kindle Vildor, Duke Shelley, and Artie Burns all underwhelming in the preseason.
Maybe the Bears should’ve tried hard to keep Fuller.
What nobody knows for certain is exactly what went on between the two sides that led up to his exit. The only piece of information revealed is GM Ryan Pace asked him to take a pay cut. Well, now Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune offered a little more insight into that. During his weekly mailbag, the insider revealed that not only did the Bears ask him to slash his salary, they asked him to do it by a lot.
“The Bears approached Fuller about a pay cut to remain with the team but as it was explained to me, they wanted him to play for basically half of what he was scheduled to earn. That wasn’t going to work for Fuller, and he wound up doing better than that with the one-year deal he received from the Denver Broncos.”
Now it’s easy to understand the Bears were in a tight spot. Yet to have the guts to ask Fuller to take a pay cut of that magnitude is nothing short of insulting. The guy had just gone to two Pro Bowls in 2018 and 2019, and was their best corner again in 2020, allowing just an 89.6 passer rating. He is worth more than that and he knew it. So it isn’t a surprise he opted to hold his ground.
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Kyle Fuller will be missed in the short-term
Given what the Bears have done at cornerback since he left? The decision to cut him looks like supreme folly. His presence would be a huge boost for their secondary right now. Perhaps what is more galling than anything is the fact Chicago couldn’t even trade him. He clearly still has value and good cornerbacks are a prized commodity. Alas, the weirdest offseason in recent memory hit this team hard.
Kyle Fuller was right to seek opportunities elsewhere. Landing in Denver got him a solid payday on a team that looks ready to compete for the playoffs this season. He will be missed. Still, something like this was inevitable. Chicago would have to start jettisoning veteran players eventually. Better now than later what with Justin Fields arriving. Fuller went first but it’s a safe bet others aren’t far behind.
Hicks? Danny Trevathan? Rober Quinn? All may not last beyond 2021.
The Bears need money and those guys all command a lot of it. If they fail to produce at a high level this season, then they will share Fuller’s fate. It is sad more than anything. One would’ve liked to see his time in Chicago not end so abruptly and without proper respect. Another reminder that the NFL is a cruel business.