2021 NFL Offseason: Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears (Last Year: 8-8)

2021 NFL Season Preview:

Veteran Additions:
QB Andy Dalton, RB Damien Williams, TE Jesse James, OT Elijah Wilkinson, DT Angelo Blackson, OLB Jerry Attaochu, LB Christian Jones, CB Desmond Trufant.
Early Draft Picks:
QB Justin Fields, OT Teven Jenkins. Bears Rookie Forecast
Offseason Losses:
QB Mitchell Trubisky, WR Anthony Miller, OT Charles Leno, OT Bobby Massie, DT Roy Robertson-Harris, DT Brent Urban, DT John Jenkins, OLB Barkevious Mingo, CB Kyle Fuller, CB Artie Burns, CB Buster Skrine, S Tashaun Gipson, KR Cordarrelle Patterson.

2021 Chicago Bears Offense:
It’s been forever since the Bears have possessed a legitimate franchise quarterback, perhaps dating back to when the dinosaurs roamed the planet. There have been many imposters over the years, including Mitchell Trubisky, Rex Grossman and Jay Cutler, but it’s been countless decades since Chicago fans have been able to proudly call someone their quarterback of the future.

That may have changed in the 2021 NFL Draft. Thanks to the Packers’ incompetence regarding Aaron Rodgers, the Broncos realized they could trade for the future Hall of Famer and thus eschewed their plans to draft Justin Fields. This allowed Chicago to trade up for the Ohio State product. Fields is an extremely talented prospect some considered to be the best signal-caller in the class after Trevor Lawrence. Had it not been for a couple of games during the 2020 collegiate season in which Fields was banged up, he would have likely been the No. 2 overall pick.

There will obviously be an adjustment period for Fields entering the NFL, but it won’t take him too long to replace Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback. When that happens, Fields will find that he has some talented threats at his disposal. Of course, there’s Allen Robinson, one of the best receivers in the NFL. Robinson has never played with a good quarterback in his career, so everyone may find out just how great he is if Fields lives up to expectations. The rest of the Bears’ receiving corps isn’t outstanding, though Darnell “Mad Eye” Mooney showed some positive signs in his rookie campaign. Anthony Miller has also flashed at times, but he’s been the subject of trade rumors.

Fields’ other talented targets are at tight end and running back. Cole Kmet, a second-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, caught 28 passes as a rookie, but had better performances down the stretch. Then there’s Tarik Cohen, who barely played last year because of an injury. He’s a great receiving threat out of the backfield and can go the distance whenever he touches the ball, so Fields will make good use of him.

The Bears have a couple of other talented running backs. David Montgomery bounced back from a disappointing rookie campaign in 2019 to perform well last year. He rushed for 1,070 yards, caught 54 passes and scored 10 total touchdowns. If he gets hurt, Damien Williams will be able to handle the workload. Williams opted out this past season, so he should have fresh legs.

If Fields pans out, the primary concern regarding Chicago’s offense will shift to the blocking, which has declined rapidly in the past couple of years. The two tackles have been replaced by second-round rookie Teven Jenkins and free agent Elijah Wilkinson. Jenkins is an unknown commodity, but he certainly has major upside. Wilkinson, conversely, is a pedestrian player who should just be a backup. In the interior, solid guard James Daniels will look to stay healthy this year after playing just five games in 2020. He’ll be joined by talented center Cody Whitehair and mediocre guard Germain Ifedi.

2021 Chicago Bears Defense:
The Bears had an elite defense in 2018, which is primarily why they won the division and were a missed field goal away from advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs. The unit has still been great since, but slightly less so because of a couple of departures. The Bears lost a couple of key players – cornerback Bryce Callahan and safety Adrian Amos – which would explain why there was a slight dip in overall production.

The secondary once again saw a key player depart, as Chicago had to cut ties with top cornerback Kyle Fuller due to prior poor financial decisions. With Fuller gone, Chicago’s cornerback group looks like a complete mess. The two projected outside starters are Desmnd Trufant and Jaylon Johnson, which is disastrous. Trufant was one of the worst cornerbacks in the NFL last year, while Johnson struggled as a second-round rookie. The Bears also signed first-round bust Artie Burns and spent a sixth-round pick on Thomas Graham Jr., but neither of those options seems particularly viable.

Chicago is at least set at safety, though the team would still be better off with Amos in the secondary. The top safeties are Eddie Jackson and Tashaun Gipson. Jackson is a dynamic play-maker, while Gipson is solid, though there’s a slight concern with him turning 31 soon.

The Bears’ front seven will have to compensate for the problems in the secondary. Khalil Mack is one of the few players in the NFL who can do that. He just turned 30, but he’s still one of the top edge rushers in the NFL. He’ll continue to create havoc in the backfield, and he’ll keep drawing attention away from Robert Quinn, who needs to rebound from his dud 2020 campaign. Quinn logged 11.5 sacks in 2019, but saw that figure drop to just two last year. Quinn just turned 31, so this regression could be permanent. Jerry Attaochu was added to provide quality depth.

Chicago at least has a stalwart defensive front. It’ll welcome back nose tackle Eddie Goldman, who was a Covid opt-out. His presence will make a huge difference. He’ll start alongside the talented Akiem Hicks and Bilal Nichols, a 2018 fifth-round pick who played at a high level last year.

Speaking of young defenders who made a jump last season, former first-rounder Roquan Smith had a nice year after an underwhelming 2019 campaign. He’ll continue to get better, though fellow linebacker Danny Trevathan has become a major liability.

2021 Chicago Bears Schedule and Intangibles:
Robbie Gould was missed for a while, at least until last year. New kicker Cairo Santos was excellent, going 30-of-32. He missed just one extra point.

The Bears scored a touchdown on special teams last year, while surrendering none to the opposition.

Pat O’Donnell was one of the league’s worst punters in 2016, ranking 28th in net yardage. He improved to 24th in 2017 and then 17th the following year. He was 22nd in both 2019 and 2020.

The Bears have a mixed schedule. They reside in an easy division, but they also have to battle the teams in the NFC West and AFC North.

2021 Chicago Bears Rookies:
Go here for the Bears Rookie Forecast, a page with predictions like which rookie will bust and which rookie will become a solid starter.

2021 Chicago Bears Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):

Quarterbacks	Offensive Line	Secondary
Running Backs	Defensive Line	Special Teams
Receivers	Linebackers	Coaching

2021 Chicago Bears Analysis: The Bears won eight games last year, but were very lucky to prevail in some of their early contests. They predictably regressed to the mean late in the year and were blown out instantly in the playoffs. They didn’t have much hope entering the 2021 NFL Draft, but everything changed once they were able to land Justin Fields. They won’t be a threat to make a deep postseason run this year with a rookie quarterback, but Fields gives Chicago plenty of hope for 2022 and beyond.

Projection: 6-11 (3rd in NFC North)

2020 Projection: 3-13. 2020 Actual Result: 8-8.
2019 Projection: 11-5. 2019 Actual Result: 8-8.
2018 Projection: 10-6. 2018 Actual Result: 12-4.
2017 Projection: 4-12. 2017 Actual Result: 5-11.
2016 Projection: 8-8. 2016 Actual Result: 3-13.

NFL Draft Team Grade: A+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2021 NFL Draft: The Bears would be built to win now if they could find a quarterback and upgrade the offensive line. However, they currently have Andy Dalton starting behind some bad blockers. Given the small number of needs, the Bears can afford to trade up for a quarterback, though there’s a chance one of the first-round signal-callers will fall to them.

2021 NFL Draft Accomplishments: “The Bears would be built to win now if they could find a quarterback and upgrade the offensive line.” Ryan Pace, are you a new reader of WalterFootball.com? The Bears followed that exact plan, trading up for Justin Fields in the first round and then finding great blocking for him with Teven Jenkins at No. 39 overall.

The Bears have endured horrible quarterbacking for decades, but that appears to have come to an end. Perhaps Chicago fans don’t want me to jinx anything, but Fields was viewed by some to be the second-best prospect at the position in this class. Fields had a small stretch during the 2020 season where he struggled, but only because he wasn’t 100 percent. He rebounded greatly in the playoffs. He’s very talented and possesses great leadership skills. I’ll be shocked if he busts, especially when factoring in Chicago’s desire to protect him with a skilled blocker like Jenkins.

Chicago had just one other pick outside of the sixth round, and it used that selection on another offensive lineman. Despite not having many other choices, this was a beautiful draft for the Bears, who may have just established themselves as the team to beat over the next 15 years.

NFL Draft Individual Grades:

11. Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State – A+ Grade
The Bears had to make this move. Andy Dalton was their projected starter entering the 2021 season, and there’s no way they could have sold their fans and players on that. They couldn’t waste a great defense or Allen Robinson any further. I imagine they’re absolutely shocked that Justin Fields is still on the board. He’s arguably the second-best quarterback in this class. For my money he is, so I must grade this as an A+.

39. Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State – A Grade
I mocked Teven Jenkins to the Bears at No. 20 in one of my final updates, so I obviously love this value with Teven Jenkins. I also love the pick because the Bears absolutely had to protect Justin Fields. Their offensive line has been in severe decline in recent years, so that seems to be changing.

151. Larry Borom, OT/G, Missouri – C+ Grade
Larry Borom was announced as a tackle, but I think he’ll have to move to guard in the NFL. This is just fine because the Bears drafted Teven Jenkins and have a need at guard. This is a bit of a reach, but now that we’ve entered the fifth round, that doesn’t matter too much.

217. Khalil Herbert, RB, Virginia Tech – A- Grade
Khalil Herbert was slotted in the fourth round of my mock draft. I definitely like this value. Herbert could end up being a solid backup for David Montgomery, which is something the Bears lacked last year with Tarik Cohen injured.

221. Dazz Newsome, WR, North Carolina – B Grade
The Bears might have made this pick with trading Anthony Miller in mind. Dazz Newsome is a limited athlete, and he best projects as a replacement for Miller, who has been the subject of trade rumors. Newsome makes sense in this range.

228. Thomas Graham, CB, Bears – B+ Grade
I’m surprised the Bears waited this long for a cornerback, given that they needed two players at the position as the result of Kyle Fuller and Bryce Callahan leaving for Denver across several offseasons. I slotted Thomas Graham 40 picks prior to this, so I like the value.

250. Khyris Tonga, NT, BYU – B Grade
Khyris Tonga nearly made the cut in my mock draft. He’s a monstrous and strong nose tackle who could fight for playing time if there are injuries in the interior of Chicago’s defensive line.

Follow @walterfootball for updates.

Season Summary:
The Bears were able to sneak into the playoffs despite a 19-point loss in Week 17. They beat up on some terrible opponents down the stretch, so it wasn’t a surprise that they were competitive against the Saints. Now, they must decide how to fix their huge problem at quarterback.

Offseason Moves:

Bears sign DT Mike Pennel

Bears sign WR Marquise Goodwin

Bears sign RB Damien Williams

Bears sign LB Christian Jones

Bears sign OT Elijah Wilkinson

Bears sign DE/OLB Jerry Attaochu

Bears sign CB Desmond Trufant

Bears cut CB Kyle Fuller

Bears sign DT Angelo Blackson

Bears sign QB Andy Dalton

Team Needs:

Quarterback: The Bears have to go back to the drawing board. Mitchell Trubisky may have won the NVP, but he’s not the long-term answer at quarterback. Signed Andy Dalton
Offensive Tackle: Once the Bears obtain their new quarterback, they must protect him. They have a pair of tackles in their 30s, including Bobby Massie, who landed on injured reserve last year. Signed Elijah Wilkinson
Linebacker: Danny Trevathan is clearly past his prime. He’s a liability now, so he must be upgraded. Signed Christian Jones
Wide Receiver: Re-signing Allen Robinson is obviously a priority. Franchised Allen Robinson
Two Cornerbacks: Chicago has had a weakness at slot cornerback ever since Bryce Callahan departed for Denver. They also need to replace Kyle Fuller. Signed Desmond Trufant
Safety: Tashaun Gipson is another free agent who must be re-signed.
Running Back Depth: Depth is needed behind David Montgomery. The Bears didn’t have a real running back when Montgomery was sidelined last year. Signed Damien Williams
Edge Rushing Depth: Chicago doesn’t have much behind Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, so that must change. Signed Jerry Attaochu
Punter: Pat O’Donnell is an impending free agent, but the Bears needed a better punter anyway.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

2021 NFL Free Agent Signings:

Desmond Trufant, CB, Lions. Age: 30.
Signed with Bears (1 year)

Desmond Trufant was once a talented cornerback, but he was atrocious for the Lions in 2020. He had nagging injuries and played just six games, however, so he was never 100 percent, even when he was on the field. Then again, he turns 31 in September, so things could get worse moving forward.
Damien Williams, RB, Chiefs. Age: 29.
Signed with Bears (1 year)

Damien Williams foolishly cost himself a starting NFL job by opting out of the 2020 season. This was an incredibly dumb decision, so it’s not a surprise that the Chiefs cut him. Williams will have to settle for a No. 2 job for a team looking for a back who can catch passes out of the backfield.
Andy Dalton, QB, Cowboys. Age: 33.
Signed with Bears (1 year, $10 million)

Andy Dalton is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL, but that’s not saying much. He played well down the stretch of 2020 after a rough start.
Jeremiah Attaochu, DE/OLB, Broncos. Age: 28. — Signed with Bears (2 years)
Elijah Wilkinson, OT, Broncos. Age: 26. — Signed with Bears
Mike Pennel, DT, Chiefs. Age: 30. — Signed with Bears
Christian Jones, LB, Lions. Age: 30. — Signed with Bears
Angelo Blackson, DE/DT, Cardinals. Age: 28. — Signed with Bears
Jesse James, TE, Lions. Age: 27. — Signed with Bears
Marquise Goodwin, WR, 49ers. Age: 30. — Signed with Bears

Chicago Bears Free Agents:

Salary Cap: TBA.

Allen Robinson, WR, Bears. Age: 28.
Franchised by Bears

Allen Robinson is coming off his second-best season, catching 102 passes for 1,250 yards. It’s such a shame that Robinson has only been paired with pedestrian quarterbacks throughout his career.
Kyle Fuller, CB, Bears. Age: 29.
Signed with Broncos (1 year, $9.5 million)

Bears general manager Ryan Pace cut Kyle Fuller so he could afford to sign Andy Dalton. Great! Fuller was a Pro Bowl cornerback in 2018 and 2019, but is coming off a down year. He should rebound this upcoming season.
Cordarrelle Patterson, KR, Bears. Age: 30.
Signed with Falcons

Cordarrelle Patterson hasn’t been a viable receiver despite being chosen in the first round, but he’s made a career for himself as a great kick returner.
Kyle Long, G, Bears. Age: 32.
Signed with Chiefs (1 year, $5 million)

Kyle Long announced his retirement following the 2019 season, but he has returned to the NFL. He’s 32, and it’s unclear if he’s in great shape following his year off. Also, he has an extensive injury history; he missed 20 games in his final two years, and he hasn’t played more than 10 games since 2015. Still, Long was a talented guard when healthy, so if he can stay on the field, he could be a major upgrade for the team that signs him.
Tashaun Gipson, S, Bears. Age: 31.
Tashaun Gipson did a good job replacing the departed Adrian Amos last year. He was solid in all regards. The only downside is his age (31).
Roy Robertson-Harris, DE/DT, Bears. Age: 28.
Signed with Jaguars (3 years, $24.4 million)

Roy Robertson-Harris was missed last year when he landed on injured reserve. He’s a quality defensive lineman with no weaknesses.
Bobby Massie, OT, Bears. Age: 32.
Signed with Broncos (1 year, $4 million)

Bobby Massie is a solid right tackle when healthy, but he’s had trouble staying on the field recently, missing 14 games the past two years. He turns 32 in August, so age is becoming a concern.
Cairo Santos, K, Bears. Age: 29.
Re-signed with Bears (5 years, $16 million)

Cairo Santos was very accurate last year, going 30-of-32 with the Bears. However, he’s not a long-distance kicker. He’s 3-of-8 from 50-plus in the past four seasons.
Charles Leno, OT, Bears. Age: 29.
Signed with Redskins (1 year)

Charles Leno played well a couple of years ago, but has declined since. He could rebound, but he’s turning 30 soon.
Germain Ifedi, OT/G, Bears. Age: 27.
Re-signed with Bears (1 year)

Former first-round pick Germain Ifedi had been a bust for the Seahawks, but had his best year in 2020. He wasn’t great, but served as a passable starter.
Artie Burns, CB, Bears. Age: 26.
Artie Burns is getting two stars because he’s a former first-round pick, and he’s only 26. However, he has gotten worse throughout his career and didn’t even play in 2020 because of injury.
Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Bears. Age: 27.
Signed with Bills (1 year)

NVP Winner Mitchell Trubisky has been a failure throughout his career, but he’s still young and has some upside, so some team will want to develop him.
Mario Edwards, DE, Bears. Age: 27. — Re-signed with Bears (3 years, $11.55 million)
Brent Urban, DE/DT, Bears. Age: 30. — Signed with Cowboys
John Jenkins, NT, Bears. Age: 32. — Signed with Dolphins
Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, Bears. Age: 30. — Signed with Falcons
DeAndre Houston-Carson, S, Bears. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Bears
Buster Skrine, CB, Bears. Age: 32.
Pat O’Donnell, P, Bears. Age: 30. — Re-signed with Bears (1 year)
Demetrius Harris, TE, Bears. Age: 30.
Rashaad Coward, G, Bears. Age: 26.
Dwayne Harris, KR, Bears. Age: 33.
Deon Bush, S, Bears. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Bears (1 year)
Jason Spriggs, OT, Bears. Age: 27.
Daniel McCullers, DT, Bears. Age: 29.
Sherrick McManis, CB, Bears. Age: 33.