Chicago Bears Q&A: Is a reunion with Leonard Floyd a possibility? How much improvement can be expected from Justin Fields?

The NFL calendar never rests. With the draft and rookie minicamp in the rearview mirror for the Chicago Bears, this week brings the 2023 schedule release, followed by the start of organized team activities on May 22.

The Bears still have holes to fill on their roster, too, and that’s where Brad Biggs’ weekly Bears mailbag begins.

With a wide-open NFC North, why aren’t the Bears signing some of these defensive ends in free agency to prove-it deals? Plenty of cap space to make this roster better still. — @jameslawrencef2

A couple of thoughts here. The Bears certainly have enough cap space to accomplish just about anything they want at this point in the offseason. Overthecap.com estimates they have nearly $31 million available after signing their entire draft class. General manager Ryan Poles has talked about being calculated and remaining flexible, and while you’re correct the division appears wide open, this doesn’t strike me as the time or place to fire big to fill a pressing need.

There is an abundance of experienced edge defenders on the market, and I took a close look at the situation earlier this week. None of them is a top-tier player, the kind of guy who would tilt the field on Sundays. Would the right signing make the Bears better? No question. Would the right signing significantly alter the trajectory of the 2023 season? I’m skeptical.

I think Poles would rather use a chunk of the remaining cap space to at least explore contract extensions with players on the roster. I’m thinking about tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. There could be other considerations as the summer and season unfold. Any remaining cap space can, of course, be rolled over to 2024.

I also think you’re misusing the term “prove-it deal.” Established veteran pass rushers such as Frank Clark, Leonard Floyd, Jadeveon Clowney, Justin Houston, Yannick Ngakoue and others would scoff at the suggestion they have anything to prove. All of them are unsigned because they haven’t gotten the offers they desire, and they eventually might be had for a one-year deal with the idea they could perform and do better on the open market next year. Generally the only time a veteran seeks a prove-it deal is when he is coming off a serious injury and looking to reestablish his value.

Bears and Leonard Floyd? Is this a reunion to be or not to be? — @nickstiglic

It’s certainly possible — and I listed Floyd among 10 potential defensive ends in this week’s column — but if I had to guess I’d say no. Floyd probably is seeking to be paid in the upper echelon of edge rushers, and I doubt the Bears are looking to make that kind of investment considering where they are. As I detailed in the column, they’ve long been reliant on free agency or trades for pass rushers, and what Ryan Poles really needs to do is find long-term solutions in the draft next year.

How does the Bears’ strength of schedule stack up for this season? — Tom G., Western Springs

Based on the final 2022 standings, the Bears’ strength of schedule is tied for 18th at .497. That sounds good, but offseason judgments of the ease or difficulty of a schedule that’s four months away can be misleading. The Bears’ 2022 schedule ranked 24th at .471 based on 2021 records. It looked like a relatively easy slate, and then the NFC East and AFC East were both highly competitive and when the season ended, the Bears had the most difficult schedule in the NFL at .571. That certainly was a factor in their 3-14 season.

How much better will Justin Fields be in Year 3? — Stefano, Chicago

There’s no reason to put a ceiling on Fields’ improvement — in all areas — in his third season and second with this coaching staff. Three major factors provide an opportunity for significant growth. First, he has a full year of experience in the offense and the Bears had no major staff changes on offense. He knows the coaches. The coaches know him.

Second, the roster around Fields has been upgraded. The Bears got a big-time producer at wide receiver when they acquired DJ Moore and then added speed to the position by drafting Tyler Scott. They also picked up a savvy veteran tight end in Robert Tonyan and added two potentially big pieces to the right side of the offensive line in rookie tackle Darnell Wright and veteran guard Nate Davis.

And third, Fields has a ton of playing experience he can lean on now. He won’t be seeing anything for the first time. Combine all of that with the drive Fields has expressed to improve, and it’s easy to daydream about what the offense might look like this season.

The Bears are focused on the basics currently in the voluntary offseason program. Fields is throwing routes on air — meaning no defensive players on the field — but he can work on his footwork and operating in the pocket. The passing game needs much better rhythm this season, and we won’t get a clear indication of whether things have advanced until games are played. But the coaches will have a feel for where things are as the spring and summer unfold. All signs point to Fields having the opportunity to make a big leap.

Does Ryan Poles need to add a veteran cornerback to the roster in the event some of the young players fail to impress? — Erik T., Chicago

Interesting question and something I would not absolutely rule out. After Jaylon Johnson, the Bears are really thin on experience at cornerback. Kindle Vildor has played in 44 games with seven starts, and after that there is Michael Ojemudia and Greg Stroman. Ojemudia appeared in 22 games with 12 starts over the last three seasons with the Denver Broncos. Eleven of those starts came as a rookie in 2020. Stroman has appeared in 22 games with four starts over the last five years for the Washington Commanders and the Bears.

Every other cornerback on the roster is entering his first or second season. That being said, Kyler Gordon (864 snaps), Jaylon Jones (464) and Josh Blackwell (133) got plenty of playing time as rookies last season, and the Bears are excited about what draft picks Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith can provide. I think they want to give the young players opportunities to learn, make mistakes and grow before considering a veteran addition.

Short of big pass-rushing threats, what are your thoughts on 300-pounders Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens engaging opposing O-linemen and giving LBs T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds freedom to make big plays? — @margasmike

The better defensive tackles play in front of linebackers, the more effective the linebackers will be. However, I would not confuse Dexter and Pickens with two-gap tackles whose primary responsibility is to keep offensive linemen off linebackers and allow them to flow unencumbered to the ball. Dexter and Pickens should be at their best getting off the ball, getting upfield and hopefully being disruptive in the backfield. I think the Bears are more interested in having them penetrate than focus on keeping the linebackers clean.

How are the Bears going to handle reps with what is now a crowded running back room? — Mike D., Belvidere, Ill.

The Bears seemingly have four players to fill three spots on the 53-man roster. Of course an injury at any time could change that. They also could decide to keep four backs on the roster, but that would be a little unusual. Khalil Herbert is the incumbent, and the Bears signed D’Onta Foreman and Travis Homer in free agency and drafted Texas’ Roschon Johnson in the fourth round. That kind of investment leads you to believe they see Johnson as a significant part of the future.

“We’ve got pieces to the puzzle and those guys will sort it all out,” running backs coach David Walker said. “That’s the good thing about it. No one has earned a seat in that room yet and they’re all going to earn their seats from what we do now until ... whenever that third preseason game is. So that’s the good thing and they know it. That’s been communicated to them. Like the very first rep the very first day, Khalil will be the first guy. But after that all bets are off.”

Herbert rushed for 731 yards (5.7 per carry) last season, but he’s the one back who was acquired before the current front office and coaching staff arrived. He performed well last year but clearly will be pushed, and he has limitations in the passing game. Walker said he discussed the overall situation with Herbert.

“We’re going to always overcommunicate,” Walker said. “A player shouldn’t wonder, ‘What are they doing?’ They should know exactly what we’re doing because we’ve talked through it, or after we’ve made the decisions, we’ve talked about why we made those decisions.

“But those guys know in our room no one has a seat. There is no depth chart. There’s a rep chart. Everyone will get reps, but there’s not a one and a two and a three in our room right now. There will be eventually, but there’s not that now.”

When an undrafted free agent is signed to a contract by the Bears and is then released after a few weeks, what is their compensation? — @danieronk

In that instance, the player would keep anything he got in the way of a signing bonus. He also would be entitled to any guaranteed money in the contract — if there was any. Sometimes undrafted rookies receive a signing bonus of a few thousand dollars. In other words, they wouldn’t be walking away with a whole lot.