Chicago Bears: Key offseason decisions Ryan Pace must make
By JOHN OWENS
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
When Adrian Amos departed to his new team north of Chicago, there was a feeling of despair among the fan base because of the great contributions he made on the defensive side of the ball during his stint in Chicago.
The Bears made a quick move on Clinton-Dix in March with a one-year, $3 million deal. Clinton-Dix struggled at times during his tenure with the Redskins and the back end of his career with the Packers, so there were concerns about his effectiveness in the Chicago Bears secondary and if he could fill the void Amos left.
Fortunately, pairing him with his former teammate at Alabama (Eddie Jackson) and an already formidable secondary with the likes of Buster Skrine, Prince Amukamara and Kyle Fuller, most around the franchise can say the gamble has paid off; especially if you consider that Clinton-Dix cost the Bears close to $6 million less than Amos’ price tag this season.
Ryan Pace will be faced with a dilemma on what to do this offseason with Clinton-Dix. The free safety will command a larger deal and with the limited cap space coming into 2020, will the Chicago Bears make a move to secure him to a longer deal or will they allow him to walk after the season?
One thing to consider is Eddie Jackson’s expiring contract in 2021. Will you want to draft a young guy at free safety in the 2020 Draft, pair him with Jackson and give Jackson a max-deal when contract talks begin, or do you take a chance on Clinton-Dix with a longer, more lucrative deal? If I was a betting man, I could see the Bears letting Clinton-Dix walk after the season and using a mid or late-round pick on a safety.