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When I say the Bears can't afford to keep paying everybody on defense, here's what I mean: both the offense and defense have 8 veterans on contracts paying them at least $5M per year. But 6 of those 8 on D are making >$10M/year, while only 2 offensive players are.
And 1 of those 2 highly paid offensive players - Allen Robinson - is a pending FA who Bears might not be able to afford to re-sign.
That's why Chicago is so cap-strapped despite not having much money invested in their offense. They have too many big contracts on defense.
That's why Chicago is so cap-strapped despite not having much money invested in their offense. They have too many big contracts on defense.
And Roquan Smith is about to add to that, as he'll be eligible for an extension this offseason and has earned a new deal that will give him >$10M per year. That would give the Bears 7 defenders making $10M+ per season: Mack, Hicks, Fuller, Quinn, Jackson, Goldman, and Roquan
Looking around the NFL, nobody else has more than 5 (and of the 5 teams with 5, only 1 has a winning record, so it's likely not a great strategy to over-invest in the defense). The Bears' goal, then, should be to get to 4-5 defenders on big deals (including Roquan).
That means they need to shed 2-3 big defensive contracts this offseason, again out of Mack, Hicks, Fuller, Quinn, Jackson, and Goldman.
You'd love to get out of Quinn's deal, but that's not financially possible right now. Stuck with him.
You'd love to get out of Quinn's deal, but that's not financially possible right now. Stuck with him.
Jackson and Goldman are in a similar situation. Both have deals that you can't move on from right now (dunno that you'd want to for either player anyway, as they're on the younger end of these players).
That leaves Mack, Hicks, and Fuller.
That leaves Mack, Hicks, and Fuller.
Trading Mack wouldn't open up 2021 cap room, but it would for 2022-24 by quite a bit. That one's a bit more up in the air.
But trading Hicks and Fuller is a no brainer if you want to have the resources needed to fix the offense. Would free up over $20M in 2021 cap room.
But trading Hicks and Fuller is a no brainer if you want to have the resources needed to fix the offense. Would free up over $20M in 2021 cap room.
The Bears have too much money invested in their defense, and it's hurting the offense. Hicks and Fuller are the only possible remedies to that situation right now.
It sucks, because they're both really good, but it's the reality of their situation.
It sucks, because they're both really good, but it's the reality of their situation.
This is why the Quinn deals hurts so badly. It basically necessitates them dumping both of Hicks and Fuller instead of just one of them. Even better, signing Quinn cost the Bears the 2021 4th round compensatory pick they would have gotten for Kwiatkoski.
So it's not JUST that the Bears are stuck paying Quinn for 2 more years. They also essentially chose Quinn over Hicks + a 4th round pick. Makes an already atrocious contract even worse. They couldn't afford him, but gambled on it anyway, and it's going to really, really cost them
Pick 4 highly paid players to build your defense around. For the Bears, it's pretty obvious to keep EJax, Roquan, and Goldman around. They're stuck with Quinn for 2 years. Can maybe keep Mack, but that's it. Can't pay anybody else.
any other veterans have to be on mid-level deals, more in the $5-8M range, to make the finances work. They can afford to have 3-4 Skrine-Trevathan type deals on top of the 4 big contracts.
Any more than that and you're building your D at the expense of your offense.
Any more than that and you're building your D at the expense of your offense.
