The Chicago Bears have huge offseason decisions to make involving their roster. Some of the decisions they make will impact certain players on the current roster. For example, drafting Caleb Williams or not has a direct impact on Justin Fields.
While it does feel likely that Williams will impact Fields, what are some other questions that will be answered by the Bears' free-agent moves?
3. Will the Chicago Bears add competition at left tackle this offseason?
The second year of Braxton Jones at left tackle was up and down. It was a step forward from his rookie year when he was on the field. He missed time, had penalty issues early in the season, struggled with Myles Garrett as one does, and overall, his season was not strong enough to put him in the above-average caliber of starter. However, he has shown enough to the front office to be classified as a starter-caliber player.
The question is whether that is good enough for a left tackle who is about to draft a quarterback first overall. The Chicago Bears will answer that question this offseason, depending on what they do at the position.
They have the number nine overall pick, and they have a heap of cap space. If they wanted to replace Jones, they could. They also have enough capital and space to bring in competition if that is the path they would like to go. Do they sign depth, or do they not even touch the position at all, leaving Larry Borom to back up again?
If that was the case, the Bears would have full faith. The thought right now is that they would bring in someone better than Borom but not good enough to beat out Jones this offseason. Will that be their direction, or do they go another way?
2. What do the Chicago Bears think of Tyler Scott after one year?
Tyler Scott had a non-descript rookie season. On one side, that was expected. Scott was supposed to be a fourth wide receiver at best, and he was supposed to be shifting from a primary outside option to a slot receiver. Then, this year, he would slide in for Darnell Mooney.
Most of that happened, but there is a stronger feeling that the Bears should just keep Scott as depth and upgrade both starting wide receiver spots as well. That is because Scott did get opportunities and did not do well. Chase Claypool got traded, Equanimeous St. Brown got hurt, and Velus Jones was a bust. Still, Scott made little impact and at times was losing snaps to Trent Taylor.
The Bears could think that Scott was playing outside after they asked him to learn the slot all year. Darnell Mooney did not get hurt, and that is who he is replacing. Or they could be thinking that he was an outside threat, so how can they trust him in the slot if he cannot win anywhere?
The Bears need a starter in the slot. Do they sign one in free agency or draft one, or is that starter Tyler Scott? We will find out soon enough just how confident they are after a down rookie season.
1. Do the Chicago Bears expect Zacch Pickens to take a step this offseason?
Another rookie who did not live up to expectations was Zacch Pickens. In some ways, this can be forgiven, in others, it is concerning. The thought was that Pickens and Gervon Dexter would be in-depth behind Justin Jones all season, and then Jones would leave in free agency, and they would both assume bigger roles. Still, Pickens was so poor in his limited time that you have to wonder how much faith the team has in giving him that bigger role.
He brought no push in the pass rush and was average at best as a run defender. If the Chicago Bears bring back Justin Jones, it is a clear sign that Pickens is not ready to take a step, and they want him in the same role as last year. Even signing someone of that caliber would show this. Signing a backup nose tackle, a low-end free agent to veteran minimum money, or a day-three pick on the defensive line would show that Pickens is going to play significantly more than the year before. This offseason will be telling about what his role is and can be moving forward.