Everything pre-draft will be extremely direct on this one.
Internal Decisions
Cuts are easy: S Eddie Jackson ($5.58M dead cap), G Cody Whitehair ($4.104M), WR Velus Jones Jr. ($0.556M), and RB Travis Homer ($0.225M). Dead cap total after those cuts: $12.324M.
With an adjusted cap of $245.830M, allocating $4M to the practice squad, and accounting for $145.396M of current contracts outside of those described above, the Bears would enter next offseason with approximately $96.434M of salary cap space before their forays into free agency and the draft.
Justin Fields
Taking a very low view of Fields' trade value: Bears trade Fields to the Falcons for #84 and #90. Poles should be able to get more.
Free Agency
Quick hits: franchise tag for CB Jaylon Johnson (1/$20M), C Connor Williams (5/$65M with $30M guaranteed), DE Danielle Hunter (3/$60M with $35M guaranteed), S Kyle Dugger (2/$12M with $6M guaranteed), K Cairo Santos (3/$12M), WR Darnell Mooney (1/$10M), and WR Equanimeous St. Brown (1/$2M).
Draft
The main purpose for this article, as it will be every time. The Bears have their own picks in the 1st-5th rounds, an extra 1st from Carolina, two extra 3rds from Jacksonville (per the Fields trade above), and an extra 4th from Philadelphia. This mock was completed using Pro Football Network's mock draft tool. As of the time of publication, the Bears possess #1 overall from Carolina and #5 overall themselves.
Here we go again.
#1: USC QB Caleb Williams
The trade offers will be massive. There will be opportunities to add multiple 1sts, plus other Day Two picks.
I can't pretend to know how to evaluate QBs. I thought Patrick Mahomes was radioactive and wouldn't have touched him. Big whoops! Regardless, Williams has the pedigree and ludicrous production, despite the hilarious shortcomings of his collegiate defenses. Take the top prospect, reset the rookie salary at QB, and give the new coach his new QB, this time with a good offensive line and plus receiving targets.
Bears trade #5 to Green Bay for #20, #38, and #51
This one stings. With Marvin Harrison Jr. off the board, trading down with this pick is significantly more attractive than it otherwise would've been. In this case, the trade stings as the Bears hand the Packers a potential star LT in Penn State's Olu Fashanu, but these three picks are three starters.
Bears trade #20 and #128 to New England for #34, #162, and a 2025 1st
It's a weird trade to wrap your mind around...but when we get to that 2025 1st, it's way too much to pass up. That New England pick could end up in the top 10. New England moved up for Michigan QB JJ McCarthy; perhaps this pick could be in the top 5!
Bears trade #34 to Arizona for #35 and #200
Arizona came up for Bo Nix. I had no interest in Bo Nix.
#35: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette
DK Metcalf 2.0. Legette gives Williams another big, fast target to pair with DJ Moore. I suspect he'll be a first rounder by May, but for now, he lasts this long.
Bears trade #38 and #133 to Tennessee for #39 and #101
Trading down one spot to move up a round later? Yes please!
#39: Ohio State DE J.T. Tuimoloau
JTT has the physical traits of a monster star and the production of a solid regular. This is a great spot for him.
Bears trade #51 and #162 to Atlanta for #53 and a 2025 3rd
Easy choice, yet again. Atlanta came up for Texas QB Quinn Ewers. The storylines comparing Fields and Ewers -- two QBs traded to the Falcons by the Bears -- to Williams will be fascinating.
#53: Miami DT Leonard Taylor
I won't be surprised if Poles elects to pass on another potential 3 technique early in favor of a developmental prospect, but Taylor is tremendous value here.
Bears trade #71 to Tampa Bay for #76 and a 2025 4th
Tampa Bay came up for Michael Penix Jr.
#76: Utah S Cole Bishop
Bishop sure looks like an early-to-mid second rounder come draft day, but as of now, he's available here. Holy smokes, what a great looking, crazy athletic prospect.
#84: Rutgers CB Max Melton
Melton is seriously intense and a great fit in the Bears' budding CB room. He also provides nice insurance in case Jaylon Johnson bolts after playing on the tag this year.
#90: Penn State DE Adisa Isaac
Isaac is about 25 pounds lighter than JTT, but he has been extremely productive with a lanky frame. He's likely a third down specialist early in his career but his frame looks capable of holding another 15 pounds. If that happens, he's an every down player.
#101: Iowa TE Luke Lachey
When Iowa TEs come available, just take them, especially when an injury causes them to drop about a full round lower than they should be.
#102: Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie
I have no idea where Amegadjie will end up come May. And no, I hadn't heard of him until recently. Holy moly, he's an idyllic looking prospect here. He has the frame of an NFL left tackle and moves extremely well. He's a small school OT prospect with starting experience at both LG and LT. He tore his quad in October, so he likely won't be able to test at the Combine. Still, there's a whole lot to like here as both an insurance policy for LT Braxton Jones and a versatile backup across the line. He's going to be one of my favorite prospects through this draft cycle.
#200: Texas A&M WR Muhsin Muhammad III
Little Moose doesn't play like his dad, but he has a sufficiently interesting profile here. He reminds me a lot of former Penn State WR Parker Washington in the way that he moves. I doubt his athletic profile will suffice for Poles, but who knows?
Looking to 2025, the Bears would hold the following picks:
1st (NE)
1st (CHI)
2nd (CAR)
2nd (CHI)
3rd (ATL)
3rd (CHI)
4th (ARZ)
4th (CHI)
5th (CHI)
6th (CHI)
6th (MIA)
Final Roster
New players added via free agency are underlined. Draftees are bolded. Here's the 53:
QB (3): Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, FREE AGENT
RB (4): Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, FREE AGENT, Khari Blasingame
TE (4): Cole Kmet, Luke Lachey, FREE AGENT, FREE AGENT
WR (6): D.J. Moore, Xavier Legette, Darnell Mooney, Tyler Scott, Muhsin Muhammad III, Equanimeous St. Brown
OT (4): Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Kiran Amegadjie, Larry Borom
OG (3): Teven Jenkins, Nate Davis, Ja'Tyre Carter
C (1): Connor Williams
DE (5): Montez Sweat, Danielle Hunter, J.T. Tuimoloau, DeMarcus Walker, Adisa Isaac
DT (5): Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, Leonard Taylor, FREE AGENT
ILB (1): Tremaine Edmunds
OLB (4): T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn, Noah Sewell, FREE AGENT
CB (5): Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Terrell Smith, Kyler Gordon, Max Melton
S (5): Jaquan Brisker, Kyle Dugger, Cole Bishop, Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones
ST (3): Cairo Santos, Trenton Gill, Patrick Scales
At the end of my last mock, I found myself wishing that I had taken Bishop in the 2nd. The combination of trade hauls, added roster depth, and, most importantly, support for Williams makes this a real win.
Melton is the only pick that looks a little out of place; I probably felt the sting of all the secondary injuries this year.
The added line talent on both sides of the ball is tremendously encouraging. Turns out that adding nine picks in the top 102 makes the roster look much better. Want to smile? There would be another six coming in 2025.
