How Bears Rate Players Is Key

Three positional uncertainties rank above the rest as the Bears move into their offseason assessments before free agency and the draft.

The switchover in NFL seasons brings with it personnel mysteries in several areas for Bears currently on the roster.

Whether they sign David Montgomery is a matter of cash, not a mystery because GM Ryan Poles said he wants Montgomery back.

"That's something that we'll see how that goes and if we can find common ground," Poles said. "Obviously, I've learned that you can want a player and the value's got to come together for it to happen."

Before that, the draft, or free agency happen, they must settle who they have on the roster capable of fitting future plans. It's here where real mysteries exist about 2023 and it likely will remain so for a month or more in some cases.

Last week Poles said they'd soon have the coaching staff and personnel meet to evaluate needs heading into free agency and the draft.

"What do we need? What are the holes in the roster?" Poles said. "And then we're gonna attack them with the same relentlessness that we did this past season.

"Obviously we have a lot more resources, so I'm excited to do that."

Three real mysteries about the current roster hinge on these meetings with personnel and Matt Eberflus' staff.

3. Linebacker

Six starts and 331 defensive plays isn't much to go on but they liked what they saw of Jack Sanborn at middle linebacker in his limited time before going on IR with an ankle injury.

Nicholas Morrow earned respect by replacing Roquan Smith at weakside after he'd been the middle linebacker.

"He's done a nice job," coach Matt Eberflus said. "Obviously, going through a little bit (of) position change and all that during the middle of the year. My hat's off to him."

So those two are the linebackers they're putting their stock into going forward?

This is uncertain at best. Sanborn is undrafted. Morrow is undrafted and also is a free agent now after playing on a one-year, $3 million deal. He'll want actual money. Did he really do enough as a weakside linebacker to earn it, averaging 6.0 tackles with eight for loss and an interception in nine games? It's a playmaking position that requires someone who causes fumbles. Shaquille Leonard had 18 forced fumbles in four seasons before his season-ending injury playing that position. Derrick Brooks forced 24 and Lance Briggs 16 in their careers at the same position. Smith has one for his five-year career, Chicago or Baltimore. Morrow had two before coming to Chicago, none here whether in the middle or weakside spots.

It's possible they replace both in the starting lineup or one or none. There's no way to know now.

2. Defensive Line

The Bears' 20 sacks included only 9 1/2 from defensive linemen who are still on the team. They were led in sacks by a safety, Jaquan Brisker. Obviously they must add defensive linemen in the draft or free agency but what about those still on the team? Dominique Robinson was a rookie and took the starting right end spot by season's end. Trevis Gipson had to switch to a new style of defense, Al-Quadin Muhammad had only one sack, three quarterback hits and one tackle for loss in 16 games. It is apparent they like Justin Jones, who had three sacks, but what role he'll have is the question. They tried moving him up and down the line late this year to see his capabilities.

"Justin Jones, I thought did a really good job," Poles said. "I thought he was a consistent playmaker through the season. With that front, I know there were a lot of questions on production in the pass game with sacks."

1. Offensive Line

The only two players who appear certain of being back in starting roles are Braxton Jones and Teven Jenkins. Ask Jenkins and he'll tell you the opposite but Poles expressed support.

"I thought Teven was successful moving to guard," Poles said. "That was fun to see him go through that.

"But as a unit, I thought the run game was really good. But we have to get better in pass pro. They all know that. And they're up for the challenge and … for those that aren't here, we got to continue to bring in players that can help us do that."

Braxton Jones allowed eight sacks but was more or less Poles "find" of the draft in 2022.

"I mean, I was proud of Braxton," Poles said. "He's got a long ways to go to reach his ceiling but for his path and if you look … not many people look at the schedule for a player who goes into the offseason, Senior Bowl, combine, comes in as a fifth-round pick, battles through camp, gets a spot and then plays every single snap through the season.

"That's an accomplishment right there. That tells me he's wired right. He's got mental toughness, roll the ups and downs."

There are three other positions where no one has the slightest idea what they'll do.

Left guard Cody Whitehair had a so-so year and missed five games due to injuries. He'll be 31 years old in July and is their second highest-paid player at $14.1 million. If cut post-June designation he takes up $4.2 million of dead cap space, but he'll also provide $9.9 million in cap savings for a team that needs effective play more than cap savings. For the similar money annually, Jacksonville brought in five-time Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff last year in free agency.

The guard pool in this free agency period isn't abundant and none of the best available have posted Pro Football Focus grades consistently better than Whitehair. Wes Schweitzer of Washington has been similar and Denver's Dalton Risner has been consistently below Whitehair's grades over his career.

The center position entirely a guess. Lucas Patrick's injuries this year cloud what they want to do with him in the second and final year of his contract. Sam Mustipher improved greatly over previous seasons, according to his PFF grade, and is a restricted free agent.

Free agency does have several centers who have been rated high by PFF, like Cleveland's Ethan Pocic.

Maybe the bigger question is right tackle. Is Riley Reiff returning at age 35? It seems unlikely but Poles raved about him as a tone-setter for the line.

"That guy did more than a lot of people think for that O-line room and the mentality," Poles said. "I think I talked about when I first got here, I wasn’t fired up on how we protected the quarterback in terms of getting 'em (back up) off the ground (after hits) and that attitude and that physicality. He's a reason why we ran the ball so well. We finished. We had an attitude. We had an identity and that’s a lot because of guys like him."

Larry Borom hasn't been a poor player and has versatility. San Francisco's Mike McGlinchey would be an ideal fit as a right tackle who blocks the wide zone well, but there are few other right tackle free agents who would be big upgrades.

Left tackle free agency talk starts and stops with Orlando Brown Jr. but is the value there when they have Jones at the position? The $16.6 million cash Spotrac.com projects Brown would get annually is steep and might not account for the difference between what they'd get from a young, developing Jones at left tackle. In fact, PFF graded Jones a full 10 points higher than Brown as a run blocker.

It's hard to believe after they went through nine starting offensive lineup changes but one year into the rebuild their line situation looks even less certain than it did going into the year.

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