Which Bears have the most on the line in the 2017 season?
For some players, a big year comes from an idea of a financial gain to come from the hard work. For others, it could spark from the incentive not to lose any money. Some players wind up cap casualties, and the lack of guaranteed money has them playing for their financial lives heading towards the future. Who are the five players that could lose the most by struggling this season, and need to avoid falling out of good graces with the coaching staff.
5. Victor Cruz
Cruz does not have as much financial stake as some of the others on this list, but Cruz is essentially playing for his career at this point. Cruz tore his patellar tendon in 2014. That is a very tough injury to get over at all, and he did it at age 28. He took the 2015 season off but found a way to play in 15 games last season, starting in 12.
However, compared to the last time he put in a full season his numbers were down substantially. From 73 receptions, 998 yards, and four touchdowns to 39 receptions, 586 yards, and a touchdown, the free fall was on for Cruz. It took Cruz until later into the offseason to find a deal, and at that, he has the chance to earn $2.5 million at best in 2016. If Cruz does not look the same in training camp, he could very easily be cut before the season starts. He would cash in for about $1.5 million, but would likely never hear another NFL call, and would likely have to look to the media for a job.
Heck, Cruz could put in a full 2017, and if it is a drop-off, or similar season to the one he just had it could be the end of his career. Cruz is entering the 2017 season with not just financial security on the line, but his career in general in jeopardy. Expect Cruz to lay it all on the field this year.
4. Danny Trevathan
Danny Trevathan happens to find himself in a similar situation to the 2015 version of Victor Cruz. Trevathan tore his patellar tendon in 2016. On one hand, Trevathan is younger and could heal faster than Cruz. On the other, his injured occurred much later into the season, and Cruz missed over a year with the injury. There is a realistic possibility that Trevathan does not take a snap this season.
This means that Nick Kwiatkowski is going to get every chance in the world to take over a starting job. If he does win that job, Trevathan could be seen as a very expendable, high risk, low reward bet.
Trevathan is going to cost $7 million against the cap in 2018. However, if cut he only costs the team a bit more than $2 million. If Kwiatkowski does take over the starting job, and Trevathan does end up missing a full season due to his injury, cutting Trevathan in 2018 is absolutely on the table.
From there, Trevathan would have to take the Cruz route of signing a one-year deal for prove-it money. Trevathan is a bit younger but that type of treatment may go on for the rest of his career. Let’s just say Trevathan will be motivated to get into the lineup as quickly as possible.
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.
2. Pernell McPhee
McPhee is younger and is a better talent than Lamarr Houston at this point in their careers. However, he has a lot on the line after two disappointing seasons in Chicago.
When McPhee is on the field, he has been excellent. He has put up 10 sacks in 868 snaps with the Bears. However, he missed two games and four starts with some injury issues and started the 2016 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
McPhee should be healthy to enter this season, and he had better be or the Bears may start exploring options. If he were cut this season, the Bears would save roughly $6 million. That seems pretty unlikely, but another year of hoping and expecting rather than seeing would be very frustrating.
So frustrating to the point that he would most certainly become a name on the chopping block as the 2018 offseason begins. If McPhee were cut next offseason the Bears would only owe him $1 million in 2018, and $500 thousand in 2019. He would lose out on roughly $15 million over those two seasons.
McPhee has the incentive this season to perform at peak performance, and if he does not it may cost him in the long run.
1. Mike Glennon
Mike Glennon has the most to gain this season. Mike Glennon also has the most to lose this season. He can lose his starting job. He can lose his roster spot. This may be the only chance for Glennon to be a starter in the NFL if things go wrong.
The Glennon contract has been dug into 1,000 times by now. The Bears are not committed to him beyond this year. They could cut Glennon next offseason. All he would cost is $4 million, but he would save the team $12 million. In 2019, he would cost the team just $1 million.
Over those two years, Glennon has about $22.5 million on the line when he makes his first start this season. Talk about pressure. Glennon does not have to be perfect to earn the entire incentive, and the Bears could keep him for 2018 and move on in 2019, costing Glennon just $14 million.
Still, it is hard to say that there is anyone who has more on the line than Mike Glennon this season across the NFL, let alone the Chicago Bears.