Five Bears with the most to lose in 2017

3. Lamarr Houston

Houston has never quite settled into Chicago since signing with the Bears. In three seasons since signing with the Bears, he has torn his ACL twice. Now Houston is at the age of 30, an age where most players begin to see their decline. With his injury history added into the mix, Houston is going to have a lot to prove this year.

Houston signed a 5-year, $35 million deal with the Bears in 2014. However,

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only $15 million was guaranteed and the Bears only owe him close to $2.9 of that guaranteed money. It means that if Houston shows up a step slow, or it looks like the injury past has really dampened his ability there is a chance that Houston could be cut in training camp.

Cutting Houston would save the Bears about $5 million, and it would cost Houston roughly $14 million over the next two seasons. Houston could even play this full season, and if he does not make a major impact, could be cut in 2018. That would save the Bears $8 million to use in the spring of 2018 and would cost Houston the same amount.

Houston knows that he not only has to bring it in training camp, but he has to prove himself throughout the season to hold onto any long term money as well.