My Bears offseason plan, Part I

With free agency just hours away, I figured it was time to give the world my thoughts on how the Bears should approach this offseason.  This is not a fantasy scenario.  I'm not trading for Revis or moving up to the #1 overall pick to take Luke Joeckel.  This is a realistic approach to free agency and the draft based on my point of view.

According to Sean Jensen's Twitter, sources say the Bears actually have about 7Mil in cap space after franchising Henry Melton.  But the Bears can and should clear more room.  Before making any major moves this is what the Bears can/should do to clear space. 

- Cut Kellen Davis- approx. 2.5M savings
- Cut Devin Hester- approx. 2.1M savings
- Cut Matt Spaeth- 1.625M savings
- Cut Matt Toeina- 1.25M savings
- Charles Tillman- restructure to 4-year/32Mil deal, little more than Carlos Rogers deal w/ 49ers last year. Due 8Mil this year, make that a signing bonus. Only 2 Mil of that will count toward the cap this year. Give him 3Mil base salary this year and guarantee his salary in full for a 2nd year. Tillman pockets 11M this year, only counts 5 Mil toward the cap, Bears save 3Mil. 
Contract looks like: 2013- 5Mil, 2014- 8Mil, 2015- 9Mil, 2016- 9.5Mil able to be cut with minimal cap hit after 2 years at 35 years old.

- Henry Melton- Red Bryant got 5/35M last year, sign Melton to 5/36.5M. Due 8.65 this year, give him a 10M signing bonus. Again only 2Mil toward the cap. 3.5 base this year. Guarantee his salary for 2014 and 2015. Pockets 13.5 this year, only 5.5 against the cap, Bears save 3Mil.
Contract looks like:  2013-5.5Mil, 2014- 6.5Mil, 2015- 8Mil, 2016- 7.5Mil, 2017- 9Mil


- Tim Jennings- similar to other 2. 5.1 due this year, make that a signing bonus, low base, can save a 1.5-2.5 Million in cap hit.

- Robbie Gould- Due about 2.4Mil, spread that out as a bonus over 3-4 years, saves about 1.5Mil.

While this is not the exact way NFL contracts and salary cap works, it's reasonably accurate for someone not involved in an NFL front office.  This would give the Bears an additional 15Mil or so in cap space.  Some of that has to go to sign draft picks, but combined with the 7Mil already in space...that's money to do whatever you want in free agency.  However, I don't think the Bears will go crazy in free agency.

With only 5 draft picks, the Bears are going to have to address a few positions in free agency.  First of all, I'd bring back Brian Urlacher.  I think he has a lot to prove and honestly, it would make guys like Briggs, Peppers, and Tillman happy going into the season (and possibly more apt to restructure their deals).  I'd look to bring back Israel Idonije, but I think he gets MUCH more than the 2.5Mil the Bears paid him last year, and I don't know how much higher the Bears will go.  I'd also bring back Kelvin Hayden, and I do feel he will be affordable and like to stay at home in Chicago.  I'd also look to re-sign Lance Louis.  Not sure how ready he'll be to start the season after an ACL tear, but he was the Bears best lineman last year and was just coming into his own before Jared Allen's dirty hit. I'd hate to see his upside get fulfilled in another uniform. 

As for going outside the organization, I think the Bears will go with the value approach for the most part.  I don't see them making the Jake Long move due to money and injury concerns, though I probably would take that gamble at this point, because the Bears OL has been so bad for so long.  Plus, Bears OC Kromer made a living off of serviceable OTs while developing really good guards.  I'd really like Sam Baker from Atlanta.  Not an elite LT by any means, but was scouted by Bears GM Phil Emery when he was head scout for the Falcons.  He should be able to be had for something a little cheaper than Will Beatty's 5 year/38.75M deal from the Giants earlier this offseason.  Baker would allow J'Marcus Webb to move to the right side, where I'd think he'd be a top 15 RT instead of bottom 5 on the left side.

I'd also look at Glenn Dorsey from Kansas City.  If my cuts come true, that leaves the Bears with just Melton and Stephen Paea under contract at DT. Nate Collins was non-tendered, but I think they can work out a deal to bring him back.  Dorsey would be a nice 4th piece to that rotation.  Coming off an injury, but the Bears have a history of going after former top picks on the DL who haven't quite lived up to expectations.  Worked out well with Amobi Okoye, not so much for Brian Price and the late Gaines Adams.  GM Phil Emery was around just joining the Chiefs when they made Dorsey their 1st round pick. 

If the Bears do make a big splash in free agency, I think it will be at the TE position.  Jared Cook would be a dynamic pass catching option, but that would also probably means Spaeth stays on as someone has to be able to block at TE on the roster.  Martellus Bennett would probably be a more affordable option and would also provide a guy that can block.  I'd personally gamble that the rival Packers cut Jermichael Finley and if not look to the draft to fill the position. 

Lastly, I think the Bears sign a backup QB.  Chase Daniel is interesting as he has ties with Kromer from NO, but not sure of his price tag and if he might be given a chance to compete for a starting spot somewhere.  Maybe the Bears can lure him by letting him know Cutler is in his contract year and if he gets hurt again and Daniel performs, it could be his job in the future. 

Baker and one of those TEs would take up about 13Mil of the 22Mil cap figure.  I think Dorsey would take a cheap 1-2 year deal to show he's healthy and can play in a 4-3.  If Daniel gets no hits, you can pay him a couple Mil to backup.  Hayden and Louis should be very cheap.  Then you squeeze in Urlacher with an incentive based deal for the remainder of the cap space, possibly restructuring Briggs or even cutting Garza to make it happen.