No Doubt About Bears Rebuild Now

Analysis: Ryan Poles just put his stamp solidly on the Bears by dealing away Khalil Mack and at the same time made it apparent to everyone a rebuilding season is beginning.

It's been said here for more than a month, but now it should be apparent to everyone who resisted hearing it.

The Bears are in a rebuilding mode. 

It just seems to be a little more of a rebuild than many imagined even a few weeks ago. And now they've traded Khalil Mack for a second-round pick and sixth-rounder to the Chargers. 

The rebuild is obviously taking place and GM Ryan Poles just put his stamp on it with what many will consider a gamble. Anyone who follows the NFL closely knows what's going on, though. 

For some reason the national analysts fostered this idea of the Bears drafting a player here or there or signing a free agent receiver and going forward then with a few additions and their dominant defense to compete in the NFC North.

Coach Matt Eberflus and Poles are gutting the team with the idea of building from the foundation up. Eberflus even used that term in his opening press conference: a foundation.

THANK YOU @FiftyDeuce for giving us great moments as a Chicago Bear, good luck, and here's one for you 🥂 Cheers!!!! pic.twitter.com/rDHf6e1iq7

— Heidi ➡️ Oso🧸 (@Heidiaca) March 11, 2022

So the way you start building a foundation in the NFL is with draft picks, not a couple of free agent signings. The Bears are short of those thanks to the trade for Justin Fields, thus the deal. 

With a pair of second-round picks and a third, the Bears are situated well to either bring in valued building blocks at key positions or even trade up into Round 1 and nab a player before some other team can select him. The pick from the Chargers is No. 48 overall. They also have pick No. 39.

It wouldn't even be a surprise if more players are shipped out but Mack was the player with real value. First things first, and that means cutting players to pick up more salary cap space so they can go shopping in free agency.

They only get back $6.1 million in cap space from trading Mack now but it must also be remembered they have more than just free agents they are spending money on this year.

There will be a contract extension for linebacker Roquan Smith and possibly one for running back David Montgomery. Any bit of cash helps in that regard, and it's why players like Danny Trevathan, Eddie Goldman and Tarik Cohen might be on the chopping block soon, if not a few more.

The real surprise with Mack being traded might be that he brought back only a second and 2023 sixth-round pick while Von Miller was worth a second- and third-round pick when Denver traded its pass rusher to the Rams.

The Miller trade came in the middle of the season with the trade deadline approaching, so naturally a team in the middle of a run to the Lombardi Trophy was going to give up more and it was definitely worthwhile for the Rams.

The Bears need draft picks now since the draft is approaching. So they are the desperate team, so to speak. 

They need whatever extra cash they can get back now because free agency is approaching.

They can't get by on defense in their new scheme with the slot cornerback and left cornerbacks they used last year. They don't have a real middle linebacker candidate if Roquan Smith is the weak-side backer. They lack a strong-side linebacker. There isn't a three technique at defensive tackle and now there is bit of a hole at left defensive end, unless Trevis Gipson can fill it.

None of this includes the atrocious blocking they had from the offensive line last year, positions they'll no doubt address in the draft and free agency. Getting Justin Fields a wide receiver might help, too, since there is only one with any experience under contract.

This entire trade is merely Ryan Poles taking the bull by the horn when it needs to be done.

The first year is when the foundation is laid, as Eberflus said.

The Bears have the concrete mixer going and they'll begin pouring when free agency opens on Monday, if not before then with additional roster cuts.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven