Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears Roster Review: Possible Performance and Cap Casualties

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:43 p.m. ET

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Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) is tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Robert Ayers (91) for a safety in the second half at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears have several players who remain under contract but haven’t lived up to their “billing”. Whether it is injuries or ineffective play, there are a few guys who are just taking up space and may need to move on in 2017.

Yes, the 2016 season was a disaster for the Chicago Bears. Injuries are to blame for most of it but coaching concerns, depth and play calling also contributed to the Bears fall. But it’s over. There isn’t any time to dwell on the past. As fans, we must look forward and keep our hopes up for next year.

The Bears coaching staff and management have a lot of work to do this off-season to make this team a winner. That means that there could be a lot of personnel moves that come out of this potential rebuild. For those players who are not under contact any longer, this means that they could be looking for a new team. But that doesn’t mean that those still under contract aren’t immune to shifting on the roster. In fact, the Bears could be looking at letting several players, who are still under contract, walk this off-season.

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Of course, management must look at everyone so no one should be immune. They do need to consider how much money they will lose if they cut someone who is still under contract. So, before they cut someone for poor performance, the Bears will probably consider the money that’s owed to that player to see how big of a hit to the cap it would be. Will the Bears have to retain some players who perform poorly because of how much money they are owed? It’s very likely they will.

What players could the Bears afford let go this off-season? Why? The following slides have a few guys who are still under contract for 2017 (and beyond perhaps) that could be out of Chicago this off-season. Current contract numbers are included.

Dec 27, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Lamarr Houston (99) pressures Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) as he throws the ball int he end zone for an interception during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Chicago Bears defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-21. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Houston’s career with the Bears has been a tumultuous one. He went on injured reserve in October of 2014 with a torn ACL missing the rest of that season. He did have a decent 2015 campaign recording eight sacks but this season, he tore his ACL in September. Houston has been on IR since.

You can’t fault a guy for being injured but the Bears have spent a lot of money on Houston. What have they gotten from him? Just about a season and a half of play in three years. That is not enough for someone who earns as much money has Houston does/has.

In 2016, the Bears paid Houston $5,950,000 for a handful of games and a trip to injured reserve. If the Bears decide to pay him for 2017, they will owe him the same amount of money in addition to a $990,000 signing bonus and a $50,000 workout bonus. That’s a cap hit of $6,990,000.

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If Chicago were to let Houston go this off-season, they would have $1,980,000 in dead cap space this year and another $990,000 in 2018. Would it be worthwhile letting him go and have $2,970,000 they can’t use? Knowing Houston’s injury history, it just might be worth it.

The Bears have an up and coming outside linebacker in Leonard Floyd but do have some question marks with Pernell McPhee and Willie Young. Unless the Bears have a plan to bring in additional help at the outside linebacker position this off-season, they may want to keep Houston. This is going to be a tough call.

What should the final verdict be? The medical staff needs to clear him and give some assurance that he might not be such a big injury risk. He needs to be healthy. But the risk may be too great. The Bears may want to let him go and bring in some additional talent this off-season. With that, they may have a much more reliable and productive player in Houston’s spot.

Nov 20, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Eddie Royal (19) can

Another Bear who has spent a lot of time injured since coming to the team has been Eddie Royal. Royal was signed in 2015 and played just nine games with nine starts. This year, Royal was active for just nine games with one start. The Bears knew that he had a history of being hurt but signed him anyway and have learned their lesson.

They haven’t gotten a good return on their investment and the investment has been high. Although Royal’s salary in his first year was low ($1,500,000) his roster bonus was high coming in at $4,000,000. In 2016, Royal garnered a salary of $4,500,000. Next year he will earn $5,000,000 if he stays with the Bears.

With Royal hardly playing since coming to Chicago, it may be possible they let him go this off-season? Money shouldn’t be an issue. If they were to let him go, he would not leave them with a hit to the salary cap because he was paid all his money up front. The Bears would not lose out financially.

Chicago learned to live without Royal for most of the season. Granted, he can still be a game changer and proved he has something left in the tank but he’s hardly on the field. He takes up a roster spot that could be filled by someone who can be healthier and contribute.

When it’s all said and done the Bears should let Royal go. The need to find someone else to be their third option at wide receiver and punt return specialist. They shouldn’t miss him because it’s hard to miss someone who is never there.

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) throws a Hail Mary pass for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Talking about what the Bears should do with Jay Cutler is always a controversy. Cutler had a season filled with injuries and poor play. He missed much of the season because he was hurt. The Bears had to rely on less experience and “cheaper” second and third string quarterbacks. He has become a problem and perhaps it’s time to let him walk.

On the other side, there may be some things that were out of Cutler’s control over the course of his career in Chicago. He has had several offensive coordinators which means he has been forced to learn a new offense often. The offensive lines he has had to work with have been average to below average and a quarterback can’t work well with that. Head coaches have come and gone making things difficult for him.

Perhaps some of the struggles he has faced shouldn’t be considered entirely his fault?

But the consensus, and what might be the best thing for the Bears, is for the Bears to let Cutler go.

When it comes to his salary, Cutler earned $16,000,000 plus a $1,000,000 restructuring bonus last season. His total salary in 2016 was $17,000,000. In 2017, he is scheduled to be paid $12,500,000 in addition to a $2,500,000 roster bonus and a $1,000,000 restructuring bonus for a total salary of $16,000,000. If the Bears were to let him go they would take a $2,000,000 cap hit (dead money).

Should the Bears let him walk and save some money? Or should they let him continue to “live” on the roster hoping he won’t get injured or play poorly.

The opinion of some fans and media are that the Bears should try to trade Cutler. There might be a willing trade partner who would be good with giving the Bears something for him. Getting something (maybe anything?) for Cutler would be a huge plus. It would be foolish for them to just let him go and not get something in return.

The Bears, as well as Cutler, are probably looking for a fresh start. It’s time that both sides got one. Cutler needs to be off the roster next season.

Oct 31, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller (86) makes a catch against Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Another controversial move the Bears could make this off-season could be doing something with Zach Miller. Granted, he is the best tight end they have right now but if they were to draft one or sign a good free agent things could change.

Miller is a decent player but he has struggled with injuries during his career both with the Bears and with Jacksonville. He came to Chicago in 2015 and missed one game (started 14). In 2016, he headed to injured reserve with an injury after playing in ten games with eight starts.

Once again, the Bears are faced with keeping a player who can’t play a full season. Yes, injuries are almost always hard to predict or control but when a player has a track record of having them it becomes an issue. Then you must consider how much money you are paying that player to be on injured reserve. Sometimes it doesn’t make financial sense to keep someone like that.

The good thing about Miller is that he is cheap. He signed a two-year deal in 2015 and next year he will make $1,500,000 with a $500,000 roster bonus and a $500,000 signing bonus. That means that he’s worth $2,500,000 in 2017. If the Bears were to release him he would count for just $500,000 against the cap.

It might be advisable for the Bears to keep Miller while attempting to find another tight end to become the primary starter. He is a reliable and productive tight end but just can’t stay on the field consistently. Give him one more season, the final season of his contract to play and try to find his replacement this off-season or the next.

Jun 14, 2016; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) warms up during mini-camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

You heard head coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace talk about working with Kyle Fuller. But, after a season in which he was accused of not being motivated to get over his injury and get on the field, it’s possible the Bears could let him walk. Nothing is ever set in stone in football.

Fuller had been healthy up until he suffered the knee injury and needed it cleaned up. He came to Chicago in 2014 as their first-round pick and had an instant impact. He played in all 16 games that year with 14 starts. In 2015 he played in and started all 16 games.

The word on Fuller’s injury was that it was a minor knee issue and that he had a procedure to clean a few things up. His desire to get on the field was questioned by Vic Fangio at the time he was eligible to come off injured reserve. This forced some to question his desire to get on the field and play. It has caused some to wonder if he should even be on the team in 2017.

When it comes to money, Fuller earned $2,641,910 in 2016. That included a base salary of $1,300,637 with a signing bonus of $1,341,273 for a total of $2,641,910. In 2017, he is scheduled to make $,1740,955 as a base salary with a signing bonus of $1,341,273 throw in there. His combined salary is going to be $3,082,228.

If the Bears were to let Fuller go this off-season, they would be left with $3,082,228 in dead cap money. That would hurt. The ideal thing for them to do would be to find someone to take Fuller off their hands in a trade. This would not only help them get something back but move that money to another team. A trade is clearly the ideal scenario.

The whole thing with Fuller is strange and the Bears don’t need the drama. Let them find a willing trade partner and get Fuller off the roster. He has become unreliable and the Bears need a player they can rely on.

Dec 11, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions fullback Zach Zenner (34) is pressured by Chicago Bears cornerback Tracy Porter (21) during the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Trust me, I am a big fan of Tracy Porter. I think he’s a solid cornerback but this was a rough season for him. He played hurt for most the year and that caused him to be less than effective on the field. He gave up some big plays and that is not typical of Porter. Is it time to let him go? Has he reached his limit?

Porter has been in the NFL since 2008 and has played in a lot of games. With that, he has suffered a lot of injuries. It appears that his long NFL career has finally caught up to him. He has also become more of a liability than an asset.

He signed a three-year deal before the start of the 2016 season. In 2016, he had a base salary of $1,750,000 coupled with a $300,000 signing bonus and a $1,818.750 roster bonus. That meant that the Bears paid him a total of $3,868,750.

Unlike some of the other contract numbers previously shown, Porter’s is heavily incentive laden. Some of those incentives, which will kick in 2017, include earning a per game bonus of $15,625. If he makes the Pro Bowl, he will earn one million dollars. There is the $200,000 playing time bonus (that is not likely to be earned per the contract). Finally, he can receive an annual interception bonus of $250,000 (that is likely not to be earned per the contract).

His base salary in 2017 is $3,500,000. He will also receive a signing bonus of $300,000 plus a roster bonus of $250,000. His total salary will be $4,050,000. If the Bears were to let him go they would have $600,000 in dead cap space.

The decision about what to with Porter hinges a lot on what they decide to do with Fuller. If they let Fuller go, Porter would be the only well-experienced number one corner left on the team. If they let Porter go then Fuller would be that last number one. Letting Porter go wouldn’t save that much money but having him in the lineup, especially if he gets injured again, could be a liability.

The Bears should probably keep Porter around for one more season letting him finish out his contract. He could still help in the secondary. So, unless the Bears bring someone better in, look for Porter to remain a Bear through 2017.