Chicago Bears: Ryan Pace needs to make these offseason moves

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Less is More on Defense

The Chicago Bears defense will need a few tweaks. The team is likely losing Danny Trevathan to free agency and Prince Amukamara as a cap casualty. With these two gone and other depth players on the move, money goes fast as Ryan Pace will need to add bodies to compete and play on Sundays (or any other game days).

Defensive Line

The team is in good shape here for the most part. Eddie Goldman will anchor the center as Akiem Hicks will still terrorize from the outside. Bilal Nichols was unable to step up in 2019 after a solid 2018 season, but he returns on the opposite side of Hicks. Roy Robertson-Harris is a restricted free agent and could be retained depending on his market.

Pace will need to add some depth players and consider paying Nick Williams a little more to stay. Outside of these little moves, the team is fairly strong on the defensive line.

Linebackers

Working from the outside in, the Chicago Bears are going to have to become creative. Leonard Floyd cannot be paid $13 million from the Bears next season. He has to go or take much less money. My guess is the Bears will need to cut or trade Floyd for peanuts. This is where the team should bring in the likes of Vic Beasley or maybe Jamie Collins.

Beasley has yet to live up to expectations and Collins could be had cheaper because he is 30 years old. The team needs one of these two or a player who will fall into the same salary range with upside. The Chicago Bears will also need to add another receiver

Moving to the inside, Danny Trevathan will most likely be gone due to his cost. Nick Kwiatkoski proved he can man the middle next to Roquan Smith, but he too is an unrestricted free agent. Kwiatkoski should be less expensive and the Bears priority of the two. The team could also look to fill the void elsewhere. Names like Nick Burgess or David Mayo should be on the radar.

Defensive Backs

Both corner and safety will be a need for Ryan Pace this offseason. The team will likely lose Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to free agency. Clinton-Dix signed a one year, prove-it deal and did fairly well. Well enough that he will get solid offers. Having Eddie Jackson and Clinton-Dix in the same backfield hurt Jackson though and the Bears need more of a strong safety as opposed to another free safety.

The Bears should look to sign Karl Joseph formerly of the Raiders. Joseph would be a perfect compliment next to Jackson. Consider him to essentially be Adrian Amos. Joseph should be relatively inexpensive. The Chicago Bears should be able to sign him for $6 to $7 million in AAV.

As far as the cornerback position goes, Ryan Pace should immediately call James Bradberry. Bradberry is an above-average corner with interception potential. He too should come at more of a bargain price. Prince Amukamara was fine, but not great. I think Bradberry would be a decent upgrade across from Kyle Fuller.

To recap the defense:

Sign Vic Beasley or Jamie Collins to replace Leonard Floyd
Sign an inside depth piece at linebacker, which could include Kwiatkoski
Sign Karl Joseph to replace Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Sign James Bradberry to replace Prince Amukamara

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Chicago Bears: These offseason moves should guarantee a playoff run

By Rob Schwarz Jr | Feb 16, 2020

Less is More on Defense

Defensive Line

More from Bear Goggles On

Linebackers

Defensive Backs