Chicago Bears

7 players the Bears must move on from in 2016

Published Jan. 20, 2016 4:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Chicago Bears need to revamp their roster this offseason. In order to bring in fresh talent, they need to first part ways with the players who have grown stale.

There are a couple players who might get cut for the cap savings. The other players on this list have contracts expiring this spring and may not be back in Chicago for the 2016 season.

The Bears must move on from the following seven players.

1. Jermon Bushrod

Bushrod has the Bears' second highest cap number in 2016 ($8.7 million), but he lost his starting offensive tackle job this past season. Charles Leno Jr., a seventh-round draft pick in 2014, has more potential for the future than the former Pro Bowler does at this point in their respective careers. Unless Bushrod relieves Kyle Long of his duties at right tackle, there's no justification for paying him the money he's due. Chicago can save $4.3 million by cutting him before June 1.

2. Martellus Bennett

Bennett unsuccessfully fought for a new contract last offseason, and he ended up having a down year that ended with a trip to injured reserve. General manager Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox weren't in Chicago when the big-bodied tight end hauled in a career-high 90 receptions for 916 yards and six touchdowns. Instead, they saw a previously washed up veteran in Zach Miller outperform him. The Bears can save more than $5 million by parting ways with Bennett before things get ugly.

3. Shea McClellin

McClellin had his most productive season as a professional in 2015, but he's an imperfect fit at inside linebacker in Vic Fangio's 3-4 scheme. Although he finished second on the team in tackles with 81, it's probably time to call it quits on this failed project -- a first-round draft pick in 2014. McClellen is slated to hit free agency this spring; the Bears would be better off building around a draft pick than continuing to force him into the lineup.

Bears linebacker Shea McClellin hasn't found his perfect fit in the NFL.

4. Alan Ball

The Bears gave Ball a chance by signing the cornerback to a one-year deal before the 2015 season. As the team enters the second year of a rebuilding project, it's time to refine the roster even further. Ball played only sparingly and does not seem to be an important piece for the future. He will be 31 years old in March, making him an easily replaceable cog in a defensive machine that's still under construction.

5. Will Montgomery

Montgomery is another player who signed with the Bears on a one-year deal last spring. He started the first four games, then broke his leg and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve. The veteran center will turn 33 years old next month, so there's no telling how he'll recover from such a serious injury. Hroniss Grasu should be ready to take over as the full-time starter next season, so there's no pressure to re-sign Montgomery.

6. Marc Mariani

Mariani was a Pro Bowl return specialist with the Tennessee Titans, but he hasn't had the same impact with the Bears. After scoring three return touchdowns in his first two seasons, he has not scored one in either of the past two. His punt return average of 6.6 yards per attempt ranked 21st in the NFL; he averaged 26.1 yards per kick return but only recorded 16 attempts. Mariani's marginal impact on special teams does not warrant a new contract.

7. Sherrick McManis

McManis saw some playing time on defense, but most of his work came on special teams. He did not excel in either facet of the game, making him a fairly expendable athlete. Although the six-year veteran posted a career-high 29 tackles in 2015, the Bears can easily replace that production by finding a willing rookie in the later rounds of the draft or in undrafted free agency.

*All salary cap information courtesy of OverTheCap.com